M. MILLERAND RESIGNS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19196, 12 June 1924, Page 7

M. MILLERAND RESIGNS

VICTORY FOR THE LEFT. CENSURE MOTION CARRIED PRESIDENT’S INEFFECTIVE APPEAL. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. PARIS, Juno 10. M. Milleraud’s message was read in the Chamber of Deputies this afternoon by M. Francois Marsal, and in the Senate by M. Ratier (Keeper of the Seals). In tho course of his message M. Millerand declared that ho had faithfully kept the solemn engagement that he made before the country, and ho refused to desert tho post to which lie had been called by Parliament. Ho implored the Chamber not to begin a new legislature with a revolutionary act. Ho declared that if the President could be forced to resign for purely political reasons the Constitution would bo violated, and a grave blow given to Republican institutions. France wanted peace and concord, and also a foreign policy in full agreement with the Allies in the matter of reparations and the application of the Versailles Treaty towards all diplomatic acts created under it. The Left groups unanimously adopted the following resolution for submission to the Chamber: “That this Chamber is resolved not to enter into relations with a Ministry which by its composition is a negation of tho rights of Parliament. It refuses to enter into an unconstitutional debate to which it has been invited, and it has decided to adjourn all discussions till a Government is constituted in conformity with the country’s sovereignty.” The Chamber, after an animated debate in which the Communists stood and sang “The International,” adopted the resolution by 329 votes to 214, thus sealing M. Millerand’s doom. A later message states that M. Millorand has resigned.—Reuter. SILENT VOTE RECORDED. NEWS CONVEYED TO PRESIDENT. IMMEDIATE RESIGNATION FOLLOWS. PARIS, June 10. (Received June 11, at 8.5 p.m.) The members of the Left took practically no part in the debate in the Chamber. According to a pre-concerted plan they determined to treat the Government as non-existent, and they ignored the provocative phrases which were used by the Communist speakers to draw them. When the result of the Senate vote was announced the Left groups broke out into thundering cheers. The communique announcing M. Millerand’s resignation says: “the Prime Minister and members of Cabinet called at the Ely see and informed the President of the events in Chamber and Senate. M. Millerand thanked the Cabinet for the assistance which it had given him in defence of tho Constitution. When the Cabinet tendered its resignation M. Millerand replied that he had made up his own mind to resign the Presidency. He asked the Cabinet to continue its functions for the time being.”—Reuter. TESTING THE CONSTITUTION. A GOVERNMENT DECLARATION. NO LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMME. PARIS, June 10. (Received June 11, at 5.5 p.m.) The new Marsal Government issued a declaration that it was only formed to enable Parliament to pronounce itself constitutionally. Therefore it would submit no programme. It asked Parliament to decide whether the constitutional laws should remain intangible and above party politics, or whether it disapproved of the principles laid down in tho President’s message, which were based on the Constitution, The Government appealed for tho applicatirin of conscience and reason by Parliament to proceedings which should be held on clear issues, as its vote concerned the future regime, and respect for the legality and guarantees of Republican institutions, and the safeguards of the public liberties.— Reuter. TOE SENATE ADJOURNS. PRESIDENT. REFUSED A HEARING. PARIS, June 10. The Senate, by 154 votes to 44, resolved' to adjourn the debate upon an interpellation by M. Cheron, who thus prevented the presenting of the case for the President. The Senate has adjourned till tomorrow.—Reuter. THE NEW PRESIDENT. M. PAINLEVE OR M. DOUMERGUE. PARJS, June 11. (Received June 11, at 7.20 p.m.) The National Assembly, consisting of the Senate and the Chamber will jointly assemble at Versailles on Friday to elect a new President. The choice is regarded as between M. Painleve and M Doumergue. It is expected that the Senate and the Chamber, after receiving M. Millerand’s resignation to-day will adjourn till after the assembly. The members of the Left will meet on Thursday to discuss the candidature.—A. and N.Z. Cable. M. MILLERAND’S CAREER. HIS CONCEPTION OF THE PRESIDENCY. M. Alexandre Millerand assumed the office of President of :ho French Republic on September 23, 1920. His own declared conception of tho functions of the Chief of State affirmed that the President should have a more influential voire, in the decisions of policy than was specified by tho conventional intcrpretalon of the Constitution of 1875, and that his office should approximate more to the United States pattern than to the figure-head type of constitutional monarchy. According to M. Millerand the special function of the President shook! be to secure continuity of policy. And lie made it his own particular duty to ensure, in collaboration with the Ministry and the Assembly, that the policy which be bad evolved from that of M. Glemenccau and the Quai d’Orsa-y should bo carried on. Hie President was to lie something more than a dignified, decorative automaton. The circumstances of the exit of M. I«eygues and the entry of M. Briand into the Premiership in January. 1921, wore interpreted as the defeat of this new system. The entry of M. Poincare was supposed to have given it the conn do grace. But M. Millerand achieved his purpose. He may nr may not have relinquished various iiiI entinus conco.ruimr tho '•’residency, with which he was credited, or he may have modified (hem., hut he secured the continuity of policy which he foreshadowed—clinging to tho treaty, always the treaty, nothing hut (he treaty—the sole protecion of France from being duped, if not endangered. The policy _of the Millerand who ordered the occupation of Frankfort, in April. 1920—its first immistakabk- outstanding evidence. —was maintained during his tenure of office, and. as President, he expressed continuously a more predominant influence in national affairs than any oilier President has done, except momentarily, for 50 years. M Alexandre Millenuid. who was horn in Paris in 1859, is hv profession a lawyer. T-Ie scored brilliant triumphs at the Bar in important commercial cases Ho made his reputation hv his defence of the instigators of a coal strike in 1833 and quickly became nrominent in the Socialist Party, being elected Deputy for Paris two years later. An industrious journalist, he, was at nip time associated with M. f lenience,in, the editor of the party organ and later of T,n Panterne, with M. Briand and M. Viviani as his lieutenants. He eventually became loader of the Socialists, speaking with acknowledged authority upon matterof social reform. But he moved gradually from tho Left to that, middle position best | according to his strong common sense and

freedom from illusions. Ho who, in a sensational speech in the Chamber, had put forward a kind of International Commisriou as the Socialist programme, became a Reformist, a believer in practical, step-by-step amelioration by constitutional methods. He represented the great mass of moderate men, tho bulk of tho nation, rich and poor, peasants and townsfolk, who disliked extremes on either side, revolution or reaction. In 1899 he entered the Cabinet ns -Minister of Commerce, and this led to his expulsion from the Socialist Party in 1903. In 1909 ho became Minister of Public Works. The party’s loss was the nation’s gain. lie displayed a high degree of constructive statesmanship, carrying through a mass of important legislation relating to labour. transforming all its relations to the State’ instituting a weekly rest day, an old-age pension system for 9,000,000 workers, and improved conditions for women employee.-., creating a Labour Department and organising the State railway system. In 1911 came the Agadir crisis. M. Millerand had clear awl convincing opinions as to how the throat of Germany's increase of armaments was to be mot, and in 1912 M. Poincare gave him tho portfolio of War. From that time he devoted himself energetically to preparations against German invasion, which he foresaw. Tho period of military service was raised to three years. It was M. Millerand who gave the French armies the famous “ KXS ” gun, that weapon second only in tho gratitude of the French to tho redoubtable “ 75.” Shortly after the outbreak of tho World War M .Millerand returned to (ho Ministry of War, resigning with the Viviani Cabinet at the end of 1915. He held office at tho most difficult period, when the strain upon organisation was greatest, when unexpected detieionces had to bo (died by all manner of improvisations and sudden demands arose for unparalleled supplies. That his administration came in for a great deal of criticism was inevitable. It was not a man but a magician who could have perfectly controlled the crisis. Il may well be doubted whether anyone else, even M. Glcmoncenu, his most severe critic, could have done belter. During the later stages of tho war M. Millerand was little in the public eye. Ho devoted himself to relief work and bi« targe legal practice, until M. Clcmenceau, knowing the former War Minister’s tremendous power of work and organising ability, placed him in charge of the recovered provinces, with a multitude of complicated and delicate problems to solve. His work as Commissary General of AlsaceLorraine was very successful. When M Gleinoiicoau’s Premiership ended, it was obviously difficult to follow him. M. Millerand did so, and the representation of France in the _ protracted negotiations of (be Allies certainly did not sidler. During the eventful happenings of tho past three years M. Poincare has l>eon much in the public eye, and when lie has spoken the whole world has listened, but more than one writer ha.s described M. Millerand as being the “ man behind (be scenes ” in the formulation and direction of French policy