FRENCH POLITICS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19134, 31 March 1924, Page 5

FRENCH POLITICS

THE REGENT CRISIS. M. POINCARE’S CABINET. Pmo Aaaoeiatioo —By Telecmph—Copyrlg»? PARIS, March 28. It is authoritatively stated that M. Poincare will retain only five of the exMinistcrs, three Under-Secretaries, and will reduce the number of Ministers’ Under-Secretaries. He will himself continue to hold the Foreign Office portfolio. An authoritative forecast of the new

Cabinet is: —M. Poincare, Premier and Foreign Affairs; M. Marshal, Finance; M. Maginot, War; M. Le Trocquer, Public Works; M. Louchier, Commerce; M. Daniel Vincent, Health and Labour; M. Do Jouvenal, Public Instruction; Colonel Fabry, Colonies; M. Leyhues, Interior; M. Mercier, Justice; M. Bokanowski, Marine; M. Rimbert, Agriculture.— Reuter. SUPPORT FROM THE LEFT. LONDON, March 29. The Daily Telegraph’s Paris correspondent says that though M. Millerand and the Entente Democratique, the most important group in the Chamber, had long recommended the reconstruction of the Cabinet, much surprise was caused by the inclusion of M.M. Loucheur, Daniel Vincent, Do Jouvenal, and Marshal, who were prominently opposed to M. Poincare during the recent financial debates. Tlie chief conclusions deducible are that

M. Poincare refuses to stand openly by a majority in the present Chamber, and secondly that though unwilling materially to modify his foreign policy, he wishes to carry it out as far as possible with the support of the Left. THE RUHR THE KEYSTONE THE OLD CABINET. A CLEAN SWEEP. THROWING THEM OVERBOARD. PARIS, March 28. M. Poincare made a clean sweep of the old Cabinet except M.M. Maginot and Lo Trocquer, who was directly responsible for the occupation of the Ruhr. Their retention is interpeted as signifying that the occupation of the Ruhr remains the keystone of M. Poincare’s policy. It is generally accepted that a change in the Cabinet does not indicate a change in principle with regard to foreign or home policy. M. Poincare has seized the opportunity to eliminate Ministers who did not enjoy the confidence of the country, thus revivifying the Ministry and galvanising the Majority Party on the eve of the election. M. Poincare was too engrossed in foreign policy to attend to any other problems for which he requires capable men. Of the newcomers M. Bokanowski was a protagonist of retrenchment for the past 18 months. M. De Jouvenal has represented France on the League •of Nations. M. Loucheur was prominent in connection with reparations in kind. He at one time was regarded as a likely successor to M. Poincare in the premiership— Reuter. PARIS, March 28. (Received March 30, at 5.5 p.m.) The forecast of the new Cabinet is confirmed, except that M. Tefevre Deprey will take the portfolio of Justice; M. Capus, that of Agriculture; and M. De Selves, that of the Interior, Marine, and the Liberated Regions.—Reuter.