Non-Cooperation In French Chamber

Northern Advocate, 14 January 1948, Page 3

Non-Cooperation In French Chamber

PARIS. Tue. (12.45 p.m.)—With only the Hare of matches and cigarette lighters and the pin-point glow of burning cigarettes breaking the complete darkness, the French Assembly tonight heatedly, at times uproariously, argued an unprecedented constitutional situation created when the 86-year-old chairman, the Communist, Marcel Cachin, refused to conduct proceedings at the night session. The Assembly was holding its first session for 1943 and. according to practice. M. Machin, as the oldest member, was chairman until the Assembly finished electing its president and vicepresident. GUARDED CHAIR M. Cachin, after the Assembly had elected M. Herriot as president, objected to the action of the Parliamentary group leaders in deciding that the Communist leader, M. Duel os, should bo removed from the position of first vice-president and reduced to the third place of honour, after M. Herriot. IVI. Cachin at first refused to occupy the chair at the night session and then agreed to do so, but immediately suspended the session until tomorrow. Lights were extinguished and journalists ordered from the galleries. Members joined in a strenuous argument while 20 Communist deputies guarded the chair and prevented the second oldest member, M. Maurice Violette, reaching it. Hemofc Re-eiecf'eci

PARIS, Tue. 10 a.m.)—The French National Assembly re-elected the Radical, M. Edouard Herriot, as President.

All deputies except the Communists voted for him.