FRANCE COPING WITH AN OLD FOE THE JOKE IN PARIS WAS THAT 
CHARLES DE GAULLE DID NOT KNOW BIFTECK PRICES WERE GOING UP 
UNTIL HIS WIFE, TANTE YVONNE, TOLD HIM . WHEREVER DE GAULLE 
GOT THE NEWS ABOUT FRENCH INFLATION, HE MOVED SWIFTLY LAST WEEK 
TO BRING IT UNDER CONTROL . INFLATION IS AS TYPICALLY FRENCH 
AS ARE STREET DEMONSTRATIONS AND OFTEN THE TWO ARE LINKED . 
ALL FRENCH GOVERNMENTS TEND TO GRAPPLE VAINLY WITH THE PROBLEM . 
PREMIER PAUL RAMADIER FOUGHT A GAME BUT LOSING BATTLE IN 1947 
; PREMIER ANTOINE PINAY LAUNCHED A " SAVE THE FRANC " 
CAMPAIGN IN 1952 . NOW DE GAULLE IS STRUGGLING AGAINST THE 
SAME HYDRAHEADED ENEMY : RISING PRICES, UP 16 PER CENT IN 
THREE YEARS ; WAGE BOOSTS, WHICH ONLY INCREASE THE COST SPIRAL 
; AND THE FURY OF FARMERS . IN AN UNUSUAL MOVE, 
DE GAULLE SUMMONED HIS CABINET DURING THE VACATION MONTH OF AUGUST, 
AND SOURLY NOTED THAT WITHOUT ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL STABILITY FRANCE COULD 
NOT HAVE THE GLORIOUS " POLICY CONSISTENT WITH HER INTERESTS . 
" PREMIER GEORGES POMPIDOU, AN EX-BANKER, CANDIDLY SAID THAT ALL FRENCHMEN 
WERE JIGGLING TAX RETURNS A BIT IN THEIR OWN FAVOR, LAMENTED 
THAT " WHILE AN AMERICAN ALWAYS WANTS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT HE 
EARNS MORE THAN HIS NEIGHBOR, THE FRENCHMAN ALWAYS WANTS TO SHOW 
YOU HE EARNS LESS . " CREDIT RESTRICTIONS AND BUDGETARY MEASURES 
HIGHLIGHTED THE NEW CORRECTIVE PLAN ANNOUNCED BY THE GOVERNMENT LAST WEEK 
. BANKS ARE LIMITED TO A 10 PER CENT INCREASE IN 
LOAN PORTFOLIOS . INSTALLMENT BUYING HAS BEEN TIGHTENED BY INCREASING DOWN 
PAYMENTS . IN A NATIONWIDE TV SPEECH, FINANCE MINISTER VALERY GISCARD 
D'ESTAING SAID THE SUCCESS OF THE PLAN DEPENDS " ON TWO 
THINGS : CONSCIENCE AND CONFIDENCE . " THE PRESS WAS NEITHER 
HOSTILE NOR ENTHUSIASTIC . AS USUAL, CHARLES DE GAULLE HAD THE 
LAST WORD . TO HIS CABINET HE SAID, " IF THIS 
DOESN'T DO IT, WE'LL GO STILL FARTHER . " 