Dans Le Parlement

P: The French Parliament reassembled after the New Year's vacation. Premier Herriot was in his place on the Government bench. It was his first public appearance since his illness (TIME, Dec. 22, et seq.), and he attended the session, as he said, to prove his protesting doctors false prophets. To his friends, he said that he was feeling perfectly able to stand the strain of debate.

P: Ex-Premier Paul Painleve was re-elected President of the Chamber of Deputies by 313 votes to 25. The Right Opposition abstained from voting.

P: In the Senate, M. Justin de Selves was re-elected President of that august body. His poll was 30 votes larger than it was when he was elected last July. This was taken as a sign that the Senate was becoming pro-Nationalist and therefore antiGovernment, which augurs ill for Premier Herriot M. de Selves received 167 votes. M. Bienvenu-Martin, Socialist, was the opposing candidate with 116 votes.

P: Chamber President Painleve had hardly finished his inaugural address, in which he appealed for self-discipline as an aid to him in his presidential capacity, than a first-class uproar broke out. The Government consented to listen to an interpellation on the sardine-packers' strike in Brittany, but the Right Opposition objected and showed their antipathy by banging their desk-lids and shouting. The Left Opposition tried to shout down their opponents across the Chamber and in the ear-splitting din which resulted, Chamber President Painleve was seen to rise, a pained expression on his face, put on his hat and depart, thereby signifying that the session was at an end. At this moment, several Communists rushed the Nationalist benches and a free fight began, to be ended a half an hour later by the brutal intervention of a dozen lusty sergeants-at-arms, the Chamber's chuckers-out.

P: Next day, it was charged that a certain Deputy had thrown a glass at the head of a brother Deputy who had insulted him. Several Deputies thereupon undertook to draft a measure providing for the punishment of any members committing an act of violence during a session.

P: Premier Herriot, in a statement to the Chamber, declared that his Government was adamantly opposed to a policy of currency inflation: "It is not our fault that during this year the country will have to meet enormous bills. But whoever is to blame, and whatever the consequences of our decision, this Government is formally determined there shall be no inflation. However desperate may be the measure we may be forced to take, and even should personal interest be shaken, there will be no inflation. It is only in that way we can do our duty toward the future as did those who in the War gave up their lives for it."

The Premier's declaration received the unanimous support of the Chamber (Communists excepted). Deputy Marcelle responded: "However great the personal sacrifices which may be involved, and however harsh the consequences for many, the Opposition heartily associates itself with the courageous words of the Premier."

Finance Minister Etienne Clementel, backing his Chief, expounded that "it would be a crime to have recourse now to the printing press. The only way by which we can pull ourselves free from the present situation is by economy and sincerity."