FRANCE

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLIV, Issue XLIV, 3 June 1924, Page 5

FRANCE

THE NEW PRESIDENT.

M. PAINLEVE NAMED.

A GRAVE CRISIS.

*X CABLE-PfcESS ASSOCIAI iON—COPYEIGKT, LON.DON, June 2. The Pans correspondent of th« Times expects tlut M. Painleve* & Radical Socialist, will be elected President of the Chamber on TuesdayHe will confer vith the President <M. ■Jliiler-and) on Wednesday, when he will Advise M. MiU^erand to send tor M. liemot and present Jiis own r-esigna-tio». M. Hemot can itardly retrain Tfrom pressing^. M. Millerand to resign iiy the end of the week. JVI. JVliller--cmd will probably send a message to "the Senate and Chamber -announcing his assignation.

The Paris correspodent of othe Daily says M. -Millerand-insisted on •being a party politician -as well as and associated himself unatnistakably with M. Poineare's policy, "•but M. Miller-and is unlikely to be vanquished without & -fight. He declares ~that he does not hoid ihe Presidency under the capricious and ephemeral majority of the deputies, Jbut from the National Assembly, namely the Senate auad Chamber sitting together. The Paris correspondent of the Daily Express states that .whatever happens 2MsflT, M. Millerand is bound to go. Should tihere be a strike of Ministers, the country woulfl be without a Government for days if -not weeks, and the financial structure of ithe State would he underaained. The patriotic elements .would to© stirred up, : paving the way for a dictaitorshg).

The Excelsior declares that MM. Herxiot a»3 Millerand hav^e an understanding ui»3er wihich M. Millerand will continue for a "brief ;period in order that liis wiifhara-wal will not appear as a -submissaaanto the 'Qemands by the Left Bloc

The Paris correspondent of the Daily "Mail says %he igravegt crisis in recent years lias roti an acute stage. Both parties forming the majority in the CJhamber to-day "passed vigorously worded resolutions 'demanding M. Miflerana's resignation. The Radical Sc~ «mlTsts ma3e definite charges of un■consfcitutional action against M. Millerand, wMch -are unpreceaented in modera FrencTi political :history. The Socialists, -who control I(J2 votes, also deaomicea IVT lyiillerand, unanimously refusing; to support any "Ministry accepting office-from-M. IMfllerand

Party feeling is 'becoming feverish, and the whole country awaits M. Millerand^s TepTy to ih'is 'direct challenge. M. Milterana can -only be forced out of ■office for hign treason. If he remains stubborn the Socialists and Radical Socialists planning a passive resistance, refusing to take office. This Is likely to cause a Ministerial strike, compelling "M. "Millerand, with the Senate's ■support, to dissolve the newly elected Chamt>er ana "hoia another-elec-tion.

M. MiTlerand considers it will be a disastrous -precedent to allow himself •to be influenced by pur'ty decisions. Tie «an only Tecogriise vrftes in the Cham"ber ai»a Senate. Nevertheless, if ostraciseS T>v the majority, M. llillerand tri&jjrobaTfly entrust "M. Pbincare with a -message to the Chamber. In the ■event of-an -adverse reception "M. "Millerand will instantly resign.

M. Pairileve, who is regarded as the ■next President of France, is a former Premier, -and is a Radfcal Socialist. \Bxplalriing €he attitude of the Left Bloc In a Tecent "interview, he laid stress •on France's 'desire for peace, based on ■the -principle of" reparation. "Bad faith on the part of Germany would, he said, have for her the most disastrous consequences. Europe could orilv enjoy a peaceful future if goodwill and ooncifiation on the part of France were met by goodwill and the continued 'execution of her obligations on the part of Germany.

M. Herfidt,. who is mentioned si "the prohable successor to M. Poineare in the Premiership of France, is -a distinguished educationist and pioneer of local .government. He is known -as the "King of TMayors" on account -of Ills success for many years as TVlayor ef liyons. He was Minister for Transport during; £he "War, and shares w'ifh M. Louphenr the reputation of being one of th*l "first -economic authorities of "France. "He -ortranised the Lyons Tair, and "has "been "identified with attempts i;o restore Franco-Russian commercial Telst'ions. In that connection "he ■went on a mission to Moscow iiw© J years asro. He is credited with EngTis'h leanings.