FRENCH POLITICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3488, 18 January 1921, Page 16

FRENCH POLITICS.

RESULTS OF ELECTION. PARIS, January 10. The Senatorial elections resulted in the Radicals and Radical-Socialists securing 43 seats and the Republicans of the Left 30 seats out of 96 vacancies. The former lost nine and the latter won eight seats. The newly-elected senators include M. Deschanel, ex-Pi'esident of France. Five Ministers were returned in the Senate elections. M. Richard, Minister of Agriculture, was defeated. The Conservatives lost four seats. The situation generally is unchanged. The press emphasises the complete check suffered by tire Socialists, none of whose candidates was elected. The Communist vote was insignificant. THE GOVERNMENT RESIGNS. PARIS, January 12. The Government, which was defeated on a confidence motion by 125 votes to 46J votes, has resigned. The crisis arose over German disarmament and reparations. The deputies demanded an instant discussion on foreign affairs, but M. Leygues (the Premier) desired to postpone the discussion until after the Conference of Premiers at Paris, in order to leave his hands free. He pointed out that the other Premiei 5 were coming with free hands, and he asked for a vote of confidence, which was refused. Fifty-two members of the French Parliamentary Socialist Party repudiated the Moscow Doctrine, 12 supported it, and six reserved their decision. January 15. A number of deputies have given notice of resolutions that all foreigners be expelled from France next year if they are unable to prove that they have definite means of subsistence; also that heavy taxation be imposed on all wealthy foreign residents. FORMATION OF NEW CABINET. PARIS, January 14. M. Peret (President of the Chamber of Deputies) has undertaken the formation of a Cabinet. January 15. M. Penet has failed to form a Cabinet, and President Miilerand has asked M. Briand to undertake the task. M. Penet’s failure to form a Government was due to M. Poincare and M. Briand each desiring the portfolio of Foreign Affairs. He, with regret, advised President Miilerand to invite M. Briand to form a Cabinet. M. Briand has arranged a Cabinet, including M. Barthou as Minister of War. GRAVITY OF THE POSITION. LONDON, January 15. The Observer states that the British. Government takes an extremely grave view of the French crisis. The position had recently been better than for many months, the Governments at Berlin, Paris, and London being each disposed to settle the outstanding legacies of the Treaty of Versailles in a reasonable sjjirit. It was now feared that the vote of the Chamber of Deputies indicates a stiffening of the French demands on Germany. It is no exaggeration to say that M. Poincare s sabotage has again imperilled the Entente. After quoting Mr Lloyd George’s interview with the London correspondent of the Petit Parisien, especially the necessity of investigating and estimating what Germany was able to pay and then fixing the amount, the Observer says that France decided to act on this principle, but now on the eve of its realisation the Government was defeated by extremists who were blind to the imminent dangers. The paper adds -. *' The British Government has requested the postponement of Wednesday’s conference until the exact issue of the French crisis is known. Mr Lloyd George is fully determined to point out to France that an unbending insistence on the literal treat}- rights in the interests of French financiers would gravely menace Europe and the Entente. January 16. The Sunday Times Paris correspondent states that M. Poincare represents the “ pound of flesh ” interpretation of the treaty, but the much more moderate men M. Miilerand and M. Leygues, found it necessary to curtail even their programme. In view of the opposition of the Allies an unreasonable adherence to M. Poincare s policy might expose France to that isolation for which Germany longs. The Observer, in a later edition, states that M. Briand represents the policy of moderation and reasonableness.