Political Week

Certain legislation loomed in France last week, as of drastic import:

P: A new tariff schedule of 1,200 items was announced by its drafter, M. Daniel Ser-ruys, Permanent Chief of the Ministry of Commerce. His schedule is primarily designed to win farmer votes at the spring election. It sharply reduces the duties on farm tractors, doubles or triples those on many foodstuffs, and abolishes the duty on U. S. wheat seed, now popular in France. Sugar, from the U. S., which France has not heretofore imported, should flow in if the bill becomes law, for it would reduce the duty on sugar from 290 francs per 100 kilos to 100 francs.*

P: The Cabinet approved and President Doumergue signed, last week, a decree restricting the showing of foreign films in France. This measure creates a board empowered to reject any foreign film if the country of export is not exhibiting a generous quota of French films. Last year 368 U. S. films were shown in France, but only about 8 French releases flickered in the U. S. The decree will become operative on March 1, 1928.

P: Before the Chamber of Deputies, last week, was a bill based on the assumption that when certain French oil properties in Mosul are developed the Republic will be able to exist on its own oil. The new bill proposes to assign a "quota" to firms importing foreign oil, restricting them hereafter to a turnover not larger than their average annual import business during the three years prior to 1928.

P: Passed in preliminary form by the Senate, last week, was a bill providing that in time of war the Senators and Deputies "shall remain at their parliamentary duties" and not enlist.

Sneered M. le General Jean Stuhl during the debate: "I have still a vivid memory of the deplorable impression created among the poilus by the fact that too few Parliamentarians performed their military duty during the War."

Cried M. le Colonel Prosper Josse: "Clemenceau was the only legislator I saw during the entire War who came within five metres of the Germans."

*I. e., from about $11.60 per 224 Ibs. to $4.