CRISIS OVER IN FRANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 59, 11 March 1926, Page 7

CRISIS OVER IN FRANCE.

M. BRIAND'S CABINET. NEW MINISTER Or FINANCE. WHY M. BRIAND AGREED. (By Cable.-Press Association.—Copyr!;tn.) (Keceived 10 a.m.) PARIS, March 10. AT. Briand, in assuming the Premiership of France, will remain Foreign Minister. The new Cabinet -will be:— Premier and Foreign Minister. —M. i Briand. Finance.—M. Raoul Pcret. Interior.—M. Malvy. War.—M. Painleve.' Justice.—M. Laval. Colonies.—M. Leon Perrier. Public Instruction.—M. Laiaourcux. Agriculture.— M. Durand. Labour.—M. De Monzie. Marine.—M. Leygues. Though M. Briand has at present only accepted in principle, he will announce . his definite decision to-night. It is confidently asserted he has already secured the necessary support, hence the personnel of his Cabinet may be expected to-morrow. _ This will enable him to go to Geneva immediately. Interviewed when leaving the Elysee, M. Briand said be told M. Doumergue, the President, in view of the present situation he did not consider himself justified in refusing to try to form a Cabinet. As regards the question of a majority in the Chamber in support of the new Cabinet, a large number of the 221 delegates who voted for the Government in the crucial division on March 3 met and decided to constitute a permanent majority which will probably be joined by those who abstained from voting on that day. The Socialist group rejected a motion in favour of supporting the new Government, and carried a resolution by a small majority, declaring a policy which ! the group was prepared, loyally and whole-heartedly to support, and which would include particularly, that fin.in- \ cial reconstruction could only be carried ' out by a majority based on the Radical, j Republican and Socialist parties.—(A. and N.Z. Cable.) The political turmoil in France, and the kaleidoscopic changes in Ministerial representation appear to be solely due to irreconcilable elements in politics : failing to come to an agreement on a financial policy which will please the masses and not displease the captains of industry. Tt is generally agreed that although this financial and political ferment remain unsettled, France is in fact very prosperous and the people relatively well off, considering the terrible physiral and material nost-war suffering. In June, 1024, Edouard Herriot, the silvcrtongued one. was acclaimed a saviour of France, but he worked himself ill, if not to a shadow, and faded over the politi- | cal skyline. In turn M. Painleve, who | appeared as another saviour in IJ)2.>, i failed to soothe France, succeeding as he did Etienne elemental as Finance Minister. Here then aga'.n is Aristide Briand acclaimed as another, saviour. He has had much experience; was Prime Minister from 1009 to 1911 and again until March, 1913, for 56 days only. He became Premier again in October, 1915, and resigned in March, 1917. He is a tactician. He believes in the dramatic use of resignations. He again formed a Ministry in January, 1021, and resigned just a year after. He went into the Chamber of Deputies in 1902 a j'oung barrister. RADICALS PACIFIED. PREMIERS RAPID WORK. (Received 2 p.m.) PARIS, March 10. M. Briand, "who has now been nine times Premier of France, formed his latest Cabinet in ten hours. Both these achievements are records. The complexion of the new Ministry is Left, but leaning slightly further to the Right than its predecessor. The inclusion of MM. Lamoureux and Malvy assures the support of the bulk of the Radicals. It is also noteworthy that M. Raoul Peret, who is in nowise a tyro in finance, is a Moderate and is unlikely to propose any startling Innovations. M. Briend considers that, for the moment, the League crisis Is even more urgent than the situation in Paris, and he returns to Switzerland to-night.— (Reuter.) THE FLUCTUATING FRANC. IMPROVEMENT IN LONDON. (Received 11 a.m.) LONDON, March 10. The French franc, was quoted on London at 134 this afternoon, but improved to 132.05 immediately the news of M. Briand's acceptance of the Premiership was known. — (Reuter.)