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¶Pills: 1) slash war veterans' pensions by 1,300,000,000 francs;* 2) cut the salaries of the President of France, the Cabinet and the Chamber of Deputies 1,000,000,000 francs; 3) put the screws on tax dodgers, notoriously slippery in France, thus squeezing out another 1,000,000,000 francs; 4) extend the income tax to lower incomes than have ever been touched before; 5) cut 500,000,000 off civil service salaries; 6) up duties and taxes on coffee, gasoline and other "foreign products"; 7) raise the inheritance tax.
Summing up, Papa Chéron said that his proposals would effect economies equivalent to $208,000,000, increase revenues by $213,000,000 and permit next year's budget to balance with a surplus of $9,000,000. After hot debate within the Cabinet all Ministers knuckled down, gave unanimous support to the Chéron budget. It must next pass the Chamber Finance Committee, then the Chamber itself. Foes of Papa Chéron predicted that he was leading the Cabinet to a fall by too brusque demands. More friendly, famed Cartoonist Pem drew the Finance Minister as a mother kangaroo in whose pouch the whole French Cabinet nestles safe. Caption: "Le Kangourou Sauveur!"
*U. S. France
Total casualties 344,000 5,623,000
Pensions 1932 $700,000,000 $287,000,000
Pension per casualty $2,034 $51