Evening star., 1938-10-23
FRANCE Welded
TO HEAVY ARMS
Only Alternative Appears
to Be Agreement to
Cut War Peril.
BY the Associated Press. .


PARIS. Oct. 22.-The French gov-
ernment made it plain after a cabinet
meeting today that it had committed
itself to a heavy rearmament program
unless some kind of agreement could
be obtained to minimize Europe's war
dangers.
There was ample evidence that this
policy was decided In close accord
with Great Britain, which also is
pushing rearmament.
In France, immediate measures
took the form Of plans for speedy
appointment of = high commissioner
for armaments and the promise of
immediate, stern measures to force
employees of arms and airplane facto-
ries to work longer than the 40-hour
week.
After the cabinet meeting ministers
said the government proposed sum-
mary dismissal OF workers in airplane
and arms plants who baked at the
longer hours.
Follows British Step.
The decision followed the announce
ment by the British air ministry last
night OF plans to step up warplane
production to match the air rearma,
ment Of Germany which, it is esti-
mated. will have 5000 or more first-
line fighting planes by next spring.
Leon Archambaud, president Of the
Chamber of Deputies Subcommittee
on National Defense. was considered
the most likely choice to direct
Frances armaments speed-up. Min
isters said the high commissioner for
armaments would rank virtually as
. member of the cabinet.
The statement of Virginio Gayda,
authoritative Fascist editor, in the
home press that Italy views strides
toward stronger armaments in the
United States, Great Britain and
France As contrary to the spirit of
Munich appears to have fallen on deaf
ears.
Reports on Reich Talks.
Foreign Minister Georges Bonnet
informed the cabinet of conversations
with Germany in an attempt to reach
. non-aggression agreement, but the
measures announced simultaneously to
speed up armaments indicated that
the government was taking no chances.
Premier Edouard Daladier outlined
to the ministers his plans to use
the 40-day decree powers voted him
by Parliament to build up Frances
economic and financial structures.
That authority expires November Is.
No hint leaked out. however, IS
to what steps we're to be taken except
that . large bond issue is likely for
financing the rearmament program
Diplomatic Shifts Made.
Belief in some quarters that France
was about to turn a cold shoulder
on Soviet Russia was weakened by
announcement of series of i'm
portant diplomatic shifts, including
appointment of Paul Magyar. Ambas-
sador to China, as Ambassador to
Moscow.
Magyar is known as one of Frances
abiest diplomats with s particularly
keen knowledge Of the Far East.
The appointment of Jules Henry,
former Charge d'Affairs in the EN-
bassy at Washington, as Ambassador
to Government Spain, also was viewed
as significant Henry Is one OF M.
Bonnet's closest aides.
Roughly, one-third Of the Senate
will be elected by indirect vote to-
morrow. Little political Importance is
attached, however, to these elections
by departmental commissions com.
posed Of Deputies, departmental
councillors and delegates chosen by
municipal councils.
OF the Upper Houses 3l4 seats. 97
will be at stake in the first third of
the nations departments, taken in
alphabetical order. Senate serve
, nine-year terms, with one third of
them elected every three years. There
is no popular vote for Senators.
Among the major candidates are
two cabinet ministers, Albert Sarraut,
minister of interior and Henri
Queuille, minister of agriculture.