MAYOR OF PARIS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22145, 26 June 1935, Page 11

MAYOR OF PARIS

M. CHIAPPE ELECTED FORMER CHIEF OF POLICE STAVISKY SCANDAL RECALLED (Received June 25, 7.5 p.m.) PARIS. June 24 The former Prefect of Police, M. Jdan Chiappe, has been elected president of the Paris Municipal Council, otherwise, Mayor. At the end of 1933 the Stavisky swindle stirred France to its depths. Cabinet Ministers and high police officials were stated to be among his friends and, although lie had been accused of fraud three times, he had managed to escaj>e gaol. M. Chautemps, who was Prime Minister, declared that he would undertake drastic reorganisation of the police. His first step was to withdraw the judicial police from the control of M. Chiappe. The Prefect resented this, and did not repress with too strong a hand the riots near the Chamber, resulting from indignation against the Government. The sequel was its fall. M. Daladier, who then became Prime Minister, dismissed M. Chiappe to please the Socialists, su]x?rseding him 10 hours before he was officially told of his dismissal, but offering him the governorship of Morocco, which he refused. This step led to the resignation of two Ministers. M. Chiappe wrote to the Prime Minister: " I cannot, to facilitate a political move, make you a sacrifice of my personal reputation. I took up my post a rich man. I leave it a poor man."

While M. Daiadier was being given a vote of confidence in the Chamber of Deputies, there was a great protest riot in which 29 persons were killed. M. Daiadier then i-esigned. Tt was alleged that, if tbe advice of M. Ohiappe's department had been taken. Stavisky would not have been able to perpetrate a 300,000,000 franc fraud. At the inquiry into the riots, M. Chiappe accused M. Frot, Minister of tbe Interior, of havinc plotted to seize power during the disturbances, and persisted in the assertion in spite of M. Frot's denial. One of M. Chiappe's greatest exploits when be was Prefect of Police was the peaceful arrest of M. Leon Daudet. the Royalist leader, who had barricaded himself in tbe offices of Action Franeaise and defied the police to take him. Many attempts were made to induce M. Chiappe to accept other posts—as senator, ambassador and Governor of Tndo-China —but be always declined them, as he was devoted to his position.