Evening star., 1938-03-17
ARMS EXPANSION
RUSHED BY BLUM
$134,O00,O00 Immediately
Authorized by Cabinet
for War Chest.
BY the Associated Press.

PARIS. March 17.-An immediate
increase in French ornaments in view
of Europe's war clouds was announced
by Premier Leon Blum today as he
presented his new Peoples Front gov
eminent to the Chamber of Deputies.
Shortly before the announcement
the cabinet authorized the defense
ministers to make commitments for
extraordinary armaments expenditures
Of 4,465, 100000 francs 3134 ,o0o, ,Q00),
mostly to buy new fighting planes.
It also decided to ask Parliament to
open additional exceptional arma-
ments credits.
M. Blum told crowded Chamber
that his government, formed only Sum
day, was willing to go any length for
peace, but he said circumstances COM
PEELED 1t to embark on an immediate
new armaments program.
Steps to create these armaments
will be taken at once" Blum said, and
he promised that "at the same time
nothing will be left undone to organize
and develop new means of production"
More Serious Effects Seen.
Pleading for the support of his gov
ernment in its first parliamentary test,
the Socialist premier said the German
absorption of Austria had shaken Eu-
rope and could easily give rise to
much more serious" developments.
His plea was received coldly by most
Deputies, and political observers said
large element In the Chamber was
determined that M. Blum must give
way in face of Frances present perils
to national union government.
France, the premier declared, is
ready to take any step that seems
necessary to maintain European peace.
But she must safeguard her independ-
ence and make sure of her frontiers
and lines of communication.
She must, he added significantly,
fulfill her pledged word-a reference
to the treaty by which France is bound
to go to the aid of Czechoslovakia If
that country in invaded.
M. Blum insisted that French secur-
ity and fulfillment Of treaty obligations
and the maintenance Of European
peace were not contradictory aims.
We are ready to go to the extreme
of human effort to prove they are COM
petible," he declared.
In what appeared to be an answer
to political conjectures that his own
government would be superseded by
a national union government or one
supported by all parties, Mr.. Blum
declared he was ready to attempt
such a union himself.
Deputies of the parties composing
the Peoples Front-Socialists, Radi-
cal-Socialists and Communists-broke
into applause, but the rest Of the
Chamber was silent.
Daladier Speaks in Senate.
Edouard Daladier, minister Of ma
tional defense, read q statement like
the Premier's in the Senate, where 1t
was received coldly, only a few Sena-
tors of the Left applauding.
Before facing Parliament cabinet
members said an order 70 speed up
raising Of armaments funds was au-
thorized in today's "abinet meeting,
and that the money would be drawn
from funds Of the regular 1888 budget
without waiting to float loan.
Charles Spinasse, minister of the
budget, said he would submit q bill to
the Chamber carrying out the pro-
posals Of the previous Chautemps
ministry-the expenditure Of 12,00O,-
100000 francs .(about $3.50, 900 ,000)
over . nve-year period, mostly for
lighting ships and airplanes.
The 1888 cost Of the fve-year de-
fense plan alone was expected to
reach between 5000, ,o0o, 900 and e.
600 100000 francs (about 500 ,oo0, 900
to $120, 900. .000).
The foreign once said the French
and British Ambassadors at Warsaw
had asked Poland to submit her dis
pute with Lithuania to negotiation
rather than endanger European peace
by methods Of force.
French officials were worried. how
ever, by the disclosure from Praha
that Czechoslovakia's German Agra
rian party had withdrawn support
from the government and appeared
ready 10 join the anti government
(pro-Nazi). sudeten German. party.