NEW FRENCH CHAMBER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18708, 14 May 1924, Page 9

NEW FRENCH CHAMBER

• STATE OF THE PARTIES. GOVERNMENT MINORITY. SOLID GAINS BY LEFT. MARGIN OF 22 SEATS. FEW RETURNS TO COME. POSITION OF THE PREMIER. By Telegraph-*— Association—Copyright. (Received 12.35 a.m.) Router. PARIS. May .12. The results from 570 of the 584 constituencies in connection with the elections for the Chamber of Deputies are now to hand. The returns show thai the Left bloc has secured 296 seats and the '' Eight bloc 274. • The former thus has & majority of 22, with 14 returns to come. . The latest reports state that the • united parties of the Left still have a majority of 22 over all the other groups. All the Ministers who sought, re-election were returned. Patty Losses and Gains. An earlier count gave the figures from 327 constituencies. At that stage the Rieht bloc had secured 243 seats, including 117 of the more moderate Republicans and 82 Left Republicans. The Left bloc had secured 280 seats, including 124 Radicals and Radical Socialists, 91 Socialists, and 26 Communists. Second ballots were necessary in the other four constituencies. The Right "■ losses, when this count was "made, totalled 157 and the Left gains 104. The latter , comprised 46 Radicals and Radical Socialists, 44 Socialists .and 14 Communists. The Communists gained nine seats in the fourth Seine constituency, which embraces the industrial area round Paris. Those elected include M. Raoul Paret, President of the Chamber, M. Klotz, an ex-Minister for Finance, M. Paihleve, an ex-Premier, M, Georges Leygues, also an ex-Premier and late chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chamv ber, M. Bokanowski, Minister for the Navy, Lt.-Colonel Fabry, Minister for the Colonies and -M. Cachin, Communis^ Coalition May be Needed. Among the candidates who were defeated were:—M. Sadi le Corate, the aviator, M. Worth, head of the wellknown dressmaking firm, M. Philippe ißarres and his son M. Maurice Barres. The newspapers emphasise the vulnerability of any Government based on such a narrow majority, without a common constructive policy, and whose only point of cohesion is opposition'«to the National bloc. A wide field of speculation has been opened by a suggestion * that in order to safeguard the chance of its survival the new Government must secure the support. of ' the Right and , Centre groups, and form a coalition with the Republican Party, though it has considerably more Left complexion than M. Poincare's Government. The Cabinet is rto meet to-morrow to discuss questions arising out of the election, notably whether M. Poincare shall resign immediately or, await the assembly of Parliament. The latter course would enable 'him to keep his engagement to meet Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald, Prime Minister of Britain, in London, on May . 19. r _\ DEFEAT OF POINCARE. / A POLITICAL LANDSLIDE. PRESIDENT .. ALSO HARMED. 'WHO WILL BE PREMIER? ' 'Australian, and N.Z. Cable. Association. (Reed. 8.5 p.m.) LONDON, May 13. . The latest Paris messages state that the three " possible! Premiers are M. Briand, M. Painleve and M. Herriot. The latter is not regarded as a strong man though he was the nominal head of the Left bloc during the election. , The defeat of M. Poincare also harms M. Millerand, the President, who has not been content to be a constitutional figurehead, but has been most active in settling the lines of French policy. M. Millerand has in the past refused to work with a Cabinet of the Left and there is some speculation •as to whether M. ' Poincare may now step into M. Millexand's shoes at the Elysee. The Radical Socialists approve of Germany paying reparations, but they desire the League of Nations to secure ultimate peace. They are strongly anti-Catnolic and say r Tax the rich and leave the poor alone. The Radicals have been lavish in their promises. They have given a pledge to concede 1800 francs per year extra to all' Government employees. This - .would make economy exceedingly difficult. Lesson tor British Liberals,. The< Radicals have also promised to complete the reconstruction of devastated areas and bring in a new Pensions Bill. Already there are prophecies that the exchange rate of the franc will be at ICO in July. The difficulties of the Left bloc will begin when they try to form a Ministry. However it is necessary to await com- '% iplete results before the actual situation , can become clear. The political landslide which has buried the electoral hopes of M. Poincare, has astonished the people of Britain of France alike. It is admitted that the " cost of living and the evermounting taxation largely explain Sunday's vote. Frenchmen clutched at the reparation experts' report in the belief that it justified stopping the heavy expenditure in the Ruhr. • I Mr. D. Lloyd George, speaking at the : National Liberal Club, said the French election result had a significance for Britain. He hoped and believed that It would conduce to a large extent to the pacification of the world. The result had been won by unity of action against great odds. It contained a lesson for British Liberalism. ' English Papers' Comments. Commenting on the result of the elections, the Daily Telegraph, in a leading article, says that the position is awkward for both M. Poincare and the . British Prime Minister, Mr. .Ramsay Mac Donald. M. Poincare . may be in office on May 19, the date fixed for the conference between the two ; leaders in London, but he ill not be in power. The Daily Express says :—M. Poincare . Is more than defeated; he has been washed away. ' The only question now is • whether he will resign immediately, or wait until the new Chamber meets on jUne L ,

The Paris - ( correspondent of the Daily ; Chronicle states that no one was more astonished. by the result of the elections I than M. Poincare himself. Only a vestige 1 of his political'power " and prestige remains to the man who yesterday aspired to be a dictator. The Daily Herald, the official Labour organ, says: The results are magnificent. It is a victory for good sense and i better international relations. ' The Morning Post says :—lf M. Poincare visits Mr. Mac Donald as arranged, ho will* represent, the Chamber of Depu ties but it will not have assembled. It is difficult in the circumstances; to see how the interview can be; decisive, even admitting the view that a change of Government in France may not involve a change of policy. . r THE LATEST RETURNS. . LEFT MAJORITY RETAINED.! PARIS LOYAL TO PREMIER. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. t'Recd. 1.35 a.m.) PARIS. May 13. The election returns are now complete except for the Colonies and one Nord department. The Left has secured 296 seats comprising 127 Radicals and Radical Socialists, 39 Republican Socialists, 101 Socialists, and 29 Communists. The Right has 274 seats comprising 11 Conservatives, 137 Moderate Republicans. 92 Left Republicans, and 34 Independent Radicals. The results indicate that while Paris was loyal to M. Poincare the Left swept the country. The question on all lips is: " When will M. Poincare resign ? The Government organ, L'lntransigeant, admits that the majority in the next Chamber will comprise Radical Socialists and Socialists. It says that M. Poincare is unlikely to resign until the Chamber meets, when his resignation will be automatic. M. Briand or M. Herriot will probably be invited to form a Cabinet. The Left press demands the resignation of the President, M. Millerand, owing to his close identification with M. Poincare's policy, and the fact that he has been represented as taking . a more direct part in politics than customary for a President. According to the best information, however, a Presidential crisis is unlikely. The Left newspapers are jubilant'. Le Soir declares that the National bloc is dead. It says it is the duty of M. Poincare and M. Millerand to go. GERMAN PRESS ELATED. EFFECT ON RUHR POLICY. DIFFERENCE OF OPINION. ' (Received 1.5 a.m.) Reuter. BERLIN, May 13. The German press is elated at M. Poincare's discomfiture. There is, however, a difference of opinion in regard to the effect of the French elections on the Ruhr policy.