Poincare le Grand

Poincare le Grand

Premier Poincare was the center of last week's French political thought. It was said that his position is now insecure and that his downfall may take place at any moment. The various candidates suggested to succeed him were ex-Premier Clemenceau, M. Louis Loucheur (former Minister of the Liberated Regions), M. Herriot (Mayor of Lyons and Leader of the Radical Socialist Party), M. Louis Barthou (head of the Reparations Commission) who was considered the most likely to be chosen as a "compromise selection."

During the past week the Chamber of Deputies was deluged by a flood of oratory on the question of emergency taxation. The Premier demanded, and finally received, four months in which to decree "all reforms and simplifications, the administration of which will tend to the realization of economies." In other words, instead of passing taxation by ordinary methods, the Council of State (Cabinet) was authorized to levy taxation by simple decree. The mere fact that the Premier could get passed such a reactionary measure outwardly indicates that his position is not so insecure as his political enemies imagine. Perhaps he will go down in French history as Poincare le Grand. Nevertheless, inwardly, a reaction against the Premier is setting in.

Excerpts from the oratory:

DEPUTE PAUL BONCOUR: "I have no suspicion that the Premier aspires to dictatorship--his twofold tradition as a lawyer and republican makes such a suggestion ridiculous. And if he was not bound by diplomatic reserve I believe he himself would censure those carnival Caesars who rule over neighboring States. But I would remind the Premier that no regime can ever be defended which yields on principle."

DEPUTE HERRIOT: "When the right to make laws is once taken from Parliament it is no longer a Parliament. It is because this principle is being sacrificed that I refuse to vote."

DEPUTE LEON DAUDET: "I consider that it is the commencement of the reactionary measures to which I aspire, and I hope to have them applied some day as they ought to be applied."

PREMIER Poincare, in replies: "I am not a man who has silently harbored illusions about consular power. M. Herriot mistakes me for another eminent personage [ex-Premier Caillaux] whose shadow creeps timidly around certain political meetings and is not very strongly repulsed by M. Herriot and his party. . . . When the Government's adversaries have the courage to vote publicly against it, the Government will know what it ought to do."

PREMIER Poincare, to extremist Deputies : "Keep to the subject and abstain, I beseech you, from all personal attacks. Remember France of which you are representatives. She is worthy of your respect. We will honor her in showing ourselves worthy of her. While France is watching you, other countries are watching you, too." After this speech had failed to quiet the Deputies, Premier Poincare and the whole Cabinet marched out of the Chamber.

Votes:

P: On a Government motion for closure of debate on the emergency taxation by decree bill: For the Government, 335; against, 18; Communists and Socialists abstained.

P: On the motion granting powers of decree upon the Government: For the Government, 253; against, 16; whole Left Bloc abstained. The Radicals then raised the bugaboo of the votes not making a quorum and cries of "Resign" rent the air from the Left. The President of the Chamber ruled that a quorum was present and that the vote was in order.

P: On a motion to authorize the Government to proceed with certain economies by decree: For the Government, 333; against, 205, or 538 votes out of 620 Deputies. As this motion was being passed an angry mob was only prevented by a strong cordon of police from rushing the Chamber.