Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-21
Premier Beaten by 212 to 17e.


| The scene when the premier took mis-
seat was indescribabIe. Amid the wild
est excitement the vote was taken. and
when Il was announced that the govern
| ment had been beaten, 212 to 1l6. Clenen-
| ceau c appel his hat on mis- head. pun ns
| il far down over his eyes and sta!ked out
| of the chamber, followed by the other
ministers. in token that he intended 70
resign.
| NJ. Clemenceau went Immediately to the
| Elysee Palace and told the story to
| President Fallieres. who seemed stune-
! of the cabinet. But he accepted the
| resignation Of the premier and his min
! listers.
| There Is but one opinion in Paris-as-
| constituent that an old parliamentary
warhorse like Clemenceau should have
committed political suicide by his awk-
| wardness In reca ling the .Algecras spec
ter upon the eve Of adjournment, when
| the government was assured OF ma
| iority on the naval question. The premi-
| er's action drove about fifty members Of
| the republican bloc into a combination
with the right and extreme IT. unhors-
! ing the man whose ministry has been the
| longest in the history of the third re-
publ c, and who for three years has been
| absolute master in France.
| More than sixty members Of the ma
| ior.ty. enough to have saved the day,
were absent when the vote was taken.
| AT Sea Over Successor.
| Many times during his ministry n.
| Clemenceau apparently was on the eve
| Of defeat. as many strong combinations.
| especially by the enemies of the income
tax were formed to accomplish his down.
| fall. and often there was much secret op-
| position n the ranks of the ma jority But
| when the decisive moment came the
| rebels never dared to brave Clenenceau's
| whip.
| The fall of the ca bihet was so unex-
pected that the political world is COM
| pletely at sea as to who will be Clemen-
| ceau's successor. President Fallieres will
| consult with the prssid snts of the cham
| bers today, in accordance with the usLai
| custom
premier and former minister of foreign
| affairs. is most frequently mentioned.
/ but his age and health are against him.
| NJ. BRAND, minister Of justice: NJ
| Ponaro, former minister of finance: VI.
| Millerand. former minister of commerce;
| NJ. Pichon, minister of foreign affairs:
| NJ. Barthou. minister of public works.
| and NJ. Delcasse are also mentioned. In
| h order named.
The socialists naturally are overjoyed
| at Ciemenceau's downfall. NJ. Jaures.
the socialist leader in the chamber. said:
! With Clemenceau disappears the most
dangerous man In the republic
The Naval Inquiry.
| The cabinet which has just resigned
was formed October q. 1906. and was re-
organized January 4. 1903. It followed the
| abinet Of which NJ Sarrien was pre-
mier. NJ. clemenceau gg minister OF
| the interior in that cabinet.
| The chamber Of deputies March 70
| last unanimously adopted ". Delcasse's
motion to appoint parliamentary COM
| mission to inquire into the state OF the
navy before fresh credits were voted.
| At the conclusion of the invests alton
| a report was submitted which was a
scathing condemnation Of the naval ad-
| ministration for the last ten years. Ii
made an astounding exposure OF the de-
! plora Bile condition OF the fleet, for which
France had spent S7O1,uO.tsp since 1899.
! 1t pointed out that ships were equipped
with guns of ancient model; that shells
| OF type condemned after serious acct
dents were still being manufactured: that
! there was no dry dock capable OF ac-
| cotnmodating battleships now being
| built, and that there was q lack of re-
/ serve coal and ammunition supplies.
/ The commission recommended the COM
| plete reorganization of the department.
| The debate has sbaea acrimonious
| throughout