FRENCH CABINET MINISTER KILLED

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7447, 23 May 1911, Page 5

FRENCH CABINET MINISTER KILLED

AT AVIATION MEET PLANE CUTS THROUGH TILE CROWD LIKE A SCYTHE PREMIER GRAVELY HURT By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received May 22, 9.10 p.m.) PARIS, May 22. An aeroplane contest, from the flying course at Issy, five miles south-west of Paris, to Madrid was begun to-day. Its start was marred by a sensational accident which resulted in the death of M. Berteaux, Minister for War, and grave injuries to M. Monis, Prime Minister. There were 100,000 spectators in the aerodrome, and a group of Cabinet Ministers and army officers occupied positions on a grandstand. Twenty airmen were entered for the race, including nine military men, who were only, howiver, to go to the frontier. Several aeroplanes had started, when suddenly many of the spectators broke through the barriers and invaded the course. A squadron of cuirassiers was ordered to clear the ground, and they galloped from the grandstand towards the crowd, behind an aviator named Train, who was circling over the ground some distance behind the stand on which the Ministers were walking. THE ACCIDENT. M. Train was adjusting tho balance of his machine, in order to descend, as tho engines were not working satisfactorily. Ho endeavoured to steer round the cuirassiers, and succeeded, but the evolution was carried out at a terrible cost. M. Berteaux, who was watching the airman very keenly, noticed that a mishap was inevitable and ran, with arm upraised, shouting a warning to his colleagues. Then the steel monoplane flashed like » scythe into the scattering crowd of Ministers and officials. An eye-witness saw the motor strike M. Berteanx, while the propeller blades struck M. Monis on the face and down the body. BLADE SEVERS ARM. The propeller severed M. Berteaux’s arm,, while M. Monis suffered complicated fractures of the leg, and a fractured nose. He is suffering from severe thoracic and abdominal pains, with contraction. A bruise in the region of tho liver is considered the only really serious feature of his internal injuries. His son, Antoine, seeing the aeroplane approaching, pushed his father down on the ground, and probably saved his life. Tho projecting part of the machine struck Antoine lightly. M. Berteaux died shortly after the accident. ' , PREMIER’S CONDITION. M. Monis, on recovering consciousness, inquired whether any of the others had been injured, but M. Berteaux’s fate was not mentioned to him. This morning M. Monis is in less pain. The doctors have. injected anti-tetanus Ecrium as a precaution. M. Cruppi, Minister for/Foreign Affairs, will act temporarily as Minister for War. The crowd, on realising the tragic import of tho scene they had witnessed, were horrified, and immediately dispersed. Sixty persons were injured in tho crush at tho exits. At the Premier’s instance the race will he resumed to-day. M. Train and a passenger who was with him when the accident occurred escaped uninjured. AI. Monis succeeded to ‘ the Premiership of France on March Ist. on the fall of the Urland Ministry, largely as a result of its nncomprom-isihß attitude over the raiiwaymen’a strike. Tho "Standard," writing of him at the time described M Moms as rather an unknown quantity, hn ing essentially a man of the Senate and unknown to the electorate, but he held tne post of Minlstor of Justice under M. vvaldPok-P.oossßan, very creditably. The Alinister of Justice in Prance is generally considered the chief lieutenant of the Prime Minister, and this was the case with M. Monis, whoso counsel in committee and experience in tho Senate were of groat help to M. Waldeok-llouseeau. He has since been several times vice-president of the Senate, and ■ he has frequently entered into debate with the Ministry on tna question of naval armaments. Son;*time .ago ho was considered a Moderate Radies I, and his position in M. WaldeckBousseau’s Cabinet should have given him some acquaintance with tho value of tolerance and conciliation; nevertheless, he is accused of Combist leanings, and his inelusion of M. Berteaux. M. Steeg. M. Mcsstmy. and one or two others seems to hear out this belief. M. Monis is a vine ‘grower, tout has studied law. 1 Ho is. like the majority of the Ministers of the Third -Republic. a southerner, and represents ■ the Ulronde in the Senate. M. Berteaux. the Minister for War, was a millionaire financier and Independent Socialist. His personality mado itself felt more in committee than in debate. He served as Reporter of innumerable committees. and through this he had earned a considerable acquaintance with many and various political questions. It was his connection with tho War Office Budget debates that led M. Bouvicr to choose him os Minister for War in succession to General Andre. AN OBJECT LESSON DIFFICULTIES OF THE POLITICAL SITUATION. (Received May 22, 11.40 p-m.) LONDON, May 22. “The Times,” commenting on the Issy flying accident,' says the awful object-lesson suggests the urgent duty of tho Homo Office to confer with the ' Commissioner of Police and, if necessary, to adviso tho passing of a short Bill for the control of aviation during the Coronation period. Regarding the political crisis, “Tho Times” adds: "M, Monis owned Hint his | position was largely duo to M. Jauros’s approval. M. Berteaux was his rightband man, instrumental in j

retaining the Socialist support for him. His loss will be doubly felt owing to tho present situation in Morocco. M. Berteaux could persuade the Socialists to condone, if not accept, tho policy pursued; but they possibly will bo less ready to accept it when presented by others.” CABINET’S FATE OPINION PREVALENT IT MUST RESIGN. (Received May 23, 0.15 a.m.) LONDON, May 22. Reuter’s Paris correspondent reports that M. Monis’s presence in Parliament is considered indispensable, especially in connection with clectorial reform. Sonic of the Ministers share in tho impression that Cabinet must resign.