THE PRESIDENT OF FRANCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19199, 16 June 1924, Page 6

THE PRESIDENT OF FRANCE.

The party fight in France over the Presidential question lias run its course. The result is that M. Doumergue becomes head of the Republic in place of M. Millerand. This means that although the parties of the Left were, by virtue of the majority which they secured at the recent general elections, able to make a successful demand for the resignation of a President who was obnoxious to them by reason of his political activities, have failed to secure the elevation of the candidate they had designated as his successor. Had they given a unanimous endorsement to the nomination of M. Painleve the result might have been different. But M.

Doumergue, with the support of but a minority of the parties of the Left, was able to secure a vote considerably in excess of that obtained by his rival when the matter was put to the test in the National Assembly, consisting of deputies and senators sitting in one' body. He had the preference of the moderate elements in both Chambers. Though a Radical Socialist, he was clearly less objectionable to the parties of the Right and the Centre than M. I'ainleve. The latter is a Republican Socialist, and, like M. Doumergue, is an ex-Minister of France, who is credited with leaving "no doubt as to his antipathy to clericalism." The party tactics. which have resulted in M. Doumergue becoming President have been calculated to impress upon him the need for walking, in his new office, in the strict constitutional path. But the question as to when the President of France is to be rightly considered to have exceeded his constitutional authority seems to involve a nice point, and it is not clear that recent events have thrown any real light on the question. It was suggested last week that M. Herriot, leader of the Radical Party and prospective Premier, might refuse to form a Ministry if M. Doumergue were elected to the presidency. It may be surmised, however, that the currency which was given to this suggestion constituted only one of the devices that were employed in the hope of influencing a majority of the members of the National Assembly to support M. Painleve.