Evening star., 1938-02-22
SEEK $329,0DD,0DO
F0RFRENCH ARMS
French Ministers Approve
Big Fund in Face of
Europe's Crisis.
- the Associated Press

b the Associated Press
PARIS, Feb. 22-The French
cabinet. in the face Of grave inter-
national problems resulting from
Britain's crisis and changes in Central
Europe, approved today plan for an
Independent national defense fund re-
ported to total 10,000,0 100000 francs
($329, 900, ,OOO).
The fund would be created through
special appropriation for long-term
armaments building and would be
managed by a committee headed by
Edouard Daladier. minister of national
defense and war.
The plan now must be submitted to
Parliament. The government has
asked 1t be given urgent consideration.
Probe Begun by Chautemps.
Premier Camille Chautemps, with
an eye on the danger in Central
Europe, began a complete examina-
ton" last week with his key ministers
to find ways of speeding up produc-
tion of war materials and of increasing
Frances defense appropriations.
The National Defense Council also
agreed unanimously to ask heavy addi-
tional appropriations. particularly for
long-term naval and air rearmament
The plan provides that the fund
become available by March and that
work on the program would then begin
at once.
The navy, it was understood, hoped
for an allotment sufficient to lay down
two 35,000-ton battleships, while the
air force planned to order 1000 new
fighting planes.
A second important move to
strengthen French defenses was taken
when the cabinet approved reorgani-
zation of the superior air council
Gen. Victor Vuillemin was appointed
chief of the general staff of the air
force
Gen. Vuillemin, as chief of the
"army of the air." will be directly
under Minister of Air Guy Lachambre,
head of the council
Conference to Be Proposed.
Sources close to the foreign office
said French cabinet members would
propose conference with Britain to
draft action for friendship with Ger
many and Italy.
The round-table talks-like the visit
of M. Chautemps and Foreign Minis
ter Yvon Delbos to London last No.
vember-were suggested to provide
France with first-hand information on
Britain's new policies and to reinforce
the London-Paris union in face of Ber-
lin and Rome.
DEPUTIES said NJ Delbos met a num-
ber of members of Parliament before
the cabinet meeting and expressed his
desire to quit. The foreign minister
declared at the same time, the Dep
uties said, that it would be useful" if
the rest of the cabinet did likewise.
Favors Joint Policy.
NJ. Delbos. it was said in the Cham
Der of Deputies lobbies, was ready to
follow Anthony Eden out of Office in
order to permit France to fall in line
with Britain.
His policies have been tied closely
to those of Mr.. Eden. who resigned
as British foreign secretary Sunday
over the question of reconciliation with
Italy and Germany.
M. Chautemps was described as con-
sidering enlargement of the cabinet to
include more conservatives.
Pierre Flandin, leader of the bloc
demanding reconciliation with Ger
many and Italy, campaigned among
Deputies for pressure on the govern
ment to follow Britain's lead in nego-
tiations with Rome There was So
cialist and Communist hostility to such
Q course.
The movement was expected to come
to head in the Chambers foreign
debate Friday.