Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-18
Frances Remark a BILE Calm.

The calm with which France has received
the shock of President Faure's death and
has passed through the business of electing
his successor is one of the marveIs of the
situation, in view of the violence of the
unrest which the nation has experienced
during the past two or three years. The
chief executive has gone, suddenly, without
warning, like a candle snuffed out by
breath of wind. The people have lamented
his death, have sounded his praises, have
expressed a colorleSs interest in the choice
of NJ. Loubet to succeed him. and that is
also far. What may eventually come as
a result of this tragedy is not to be fore
told. In view OF the many gloomy fore
casts as TO the imminence Of crisis in
France growing out of the Dreyfus affair
it may seem but little short of remarkable
that the presidents death should have
caused 50 little excitement. 1t would APP
pear, indeed, TO have been the precise OPP
portunity for the reactionists, the followers
of the pretenders, the military radicals, the
imperialists without regard for candidates,
to carry their schemes into execution. But
it is to be remembered that the French
chief executive is not a parsonage of great
official consequence, as in this country. He
is merely head administrator. whose chief
responsibility ceases when he has chosen
premier and turned over 10 a representative
of faction or a party the burden of gov
eminent. CouDs d'etat may be engineered
without reference to the individual who oc-
cupies the palace of the Elysee. Then
again, the matter of choosing a president
does not actually affect the people. 1t is
not in their hands. No popular vote is
taken, no appeal is made to the citizens,
save through their representatives, chosen
iii advance Of the emergency. Thus the
sentiments which have formed mobs and
caused outbreaks Of public passion during
the recent months were not factors in the
election. Candidates may have been viewed
with reference to their leanings to one side
OF another of the celebrated issue, but there
was no reason for popular agitation. The
fact is that the item of government has
been taken fairly we'll ont of the hands of
the people of France at large and vested
in those of a very small coterie in Paris
The choice of VI. Loubet today does not in
any wise affect this state of the case. The
agitations will proceed doubtless about as
before and he will in all likelihood remain
as heretofore practically a neutral element
in the disturbance, content with office and
not caring to share in the making and I'M
making of issues growing out Of the Hebrew
captain conFlctioh OF treason france Is
merely waiting for what she has long
known as the man of the hour" He has
no. come forward now that NJ. Faure has
died and NJ. Loubet has taken his place 1t
may be that he is detained by the multi
pIicity of ia ctions eager for the chance to
nominate him. be he BOnapartist, legfti-
mist, Orieanist or mere military dictator,
he is holding aloof because it would seem
that the France that makes and unmakes
governments is not Yet quite ready to
choose. These suggestions may in part
explain the apparently mysterious phenom-
enon Of Frances quietude on an occasion
which would seem on the surface to invite
the forcing Of crisis. The rest of the
world is coming to believe that it is either
the unexpected that always happens or the
expected that does not happen in France.