THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
Declares for the Suppression of the Embassy to the Vatican
It postpones its decision on relations with the Soviets,

Paris, October 22. The Finance Committee of the Chamber heard this afternoon Mr. Herriot on the suppression of credits for the French Embassy to the Vatican, as well as on the reestablishment of relations with the Soviets.
After the departure of the President of the Council, the Committee decided, by 20 votes to 12, to suppress credits for the Embassy to the Holy See.
Mr. Bokanowski then proposed an amendment tending to allocate a credit of 100,000 francs for the establishment of a French Embassy to the Soviets. He explained that he was in favor of the representation of France wherever there are French interests at stake and, having voted against the suppression of the French Embassy in Rome, he requested that France also be represented in Moscow.
Mr. Léon Blum immediately proposed a motion to adjourn this amendment. The Socialist deputy explained that the majority of the committee must trust the government because of the ongoing negotiations for the resumption of relations with the Soviets. Consequently, he asked his colleagues to reserve Mr. Bokanowski's proposal until the government itself proposes the reestablishment of the French embassy in Moscow.
Mr. Blum's motion to adjourn was adopted by 20 votes to 3: those of Messrs. Bokanowski, Tinguy du Pouët and Desjardins and six abstentions.

Paris, October 22. Here are the essential passages of the minutes of the Finance Committee meeting:
The Finance Committee of the Chamber heard the President of the Council, Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the reserved chapters of his department, in particular on the credits relating to the Vatican Embassy. Mr. Herriot said that by not requesting credits under chapters 9 and 12 of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for the Vatican Embassy, ​​he remained faithful to the ministerial declaration.
He explained that, in his opinion, maintaining an embassy to the Holy See was not justified in law or in fact, whatever point of view one might adopt. He added that with regard to Alsace and Lorraine, we were in the presence, not of a Concordat of law, but of a particular situation and that the government would treat all questions referring to this situation, when the time came, with the greatest liberalism.
The President of the Council then explained the possible resumption of relations with the Soviet government. Mr. Herriot indicated:
1° The conditions under which he thought to make the de jure recognition pure and simple and that he would reserve the commitments made and the treaties signed by France;
2° The conditions under which the resumption of relations resulting from the recognition would take place and the examination of a convention to which this resumption will be subordinate, in particular with regard to the claims of France.

Following the hearing of the President of the Council, the committee ruled on the amendment presented by MM. de Tinguy and Serot tending to increase the credit of the chapter relating to the Vatican embassy.
This amendment was rejected by 20 votes to 12.
Mr. Bokanowski, after explaining that in his opinion France should practice the policy of presence everywhere, proposed a provisional credit of 100,000 francs for a diplomatic representation in Russia. As seen above, Mr. Blum's motion to adjourn was adopted. The members of the opposition who voted against the abolition of the Vatican embassy were: Messrs. Pietri, de Tinguy, Champetier de Ribes, Bokanowski, Prevet, Bonnefous, Landry, Desjardins, Baréty, de Monicault, Serot and Bureau.

Absent from the committee at the time of the vote were: Messrs. Ancel, de Baudry d'Asson, Louis Dubois and Dariac.