FRENCH PRESIDENCY

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18308, 19 January 1920, Page 7

FRENCH PRESIDENCY

M. DESCHANEL ELECTED. CLEMENCEAU WITHDRAWS CANDIDACY. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received January 18, 6-6 p.m.) PARIS, January 16. M. Paul Descbanel was elected 1 resident, M. Clemenceau withdrawing Ins candidacy after M. Descbanel secured 403 votes to M. Clemenceau’s 389 in the preliminary congress. The resignation of tho Clemenceau Cabinet will be officially announced tomorrow. This will entail tlie disappearance of MM. Clemenceau, Pichon, Tardieu and Klotz as Peace plenipotentiaries, but M. Clemenceau will attend the conference till a new Cabinet is formed. , ~ . It is expected that President Pomcare will charge M. Millerand with the formation of a Cabinet. M. Deschanel obtained 734. votes out of 889, which is a record majority.

(M. Paul Eugene Deschanel, the new President of France, was born m 1856. He was Vice-President of tho Chamber of Deouties in 1896 and President, 1898-1902. He is the author of numerous publications dealing with French politics.) f