Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-25
PREMIER WORN OUT
BRAND and French Cabinet on
Point of Resigning.
LOSING GRIP ON DEPUTIES
Escapes Vote of Censure by Bare Ma.
jority of Sixteen Votes.
SOCIALISTS TURN AGAINST HIM
Crisis Brought on by Anti-Clericals'
Demands, Aimed at
the Church.

PARIS. February 25.-Premier BRAND,
for the first time in his brilliant career
as the controlling influence in the gov
ernrnent of France, finds himself on shift
ing sand. 1T is quite probable that the
resignation of the cabinet will be pre-
sented to President FaIIieres Monday. If
this course is not adopted it will be more
because of the urgency of personal
friends and the fact that no other strong
leader appears available than because of
any desire on the part of the premier to
continue the fight against the radical
socialists and anti-clericals.
The premer's friends described him to-
day as ''sick OF it all, worn out physically
and weary in spirit over the chickering's
and petty distractions" Only a broad
sense of duty will hold him if he remains
at his post.
But beyond the matter of his personal
inclinations there is the unquestioned
weakening of the premier's power and
of confidence in his ministry. The lead
er who has before survived grave crises
and come off with a triumphant vote of
the chamber OF deputies last night es
capped censure of the government by a
bare majority Of sixteen votes.
Socialists UnforgivIng.
The socialists, who have never forgiven
the premier for modifying the extreme
socialistic views which he championed
when he first entered public life have
attacked him persistently and at last
nights session all but forced his immedi-
ate retirement. Recently BRAND was as
sailed jointly by the clercals and social
= ct mis- ha hor erol vx,{tf =,
clericaiiSn.
The discussion arose through interpeila-
tons Blaming the government for not
having applied the laws against religious
bodies with proper severity. The on
slaught was led by the radical socialists,
Louis Malvy and Paul Meunier For
time BRAND fought back with his old
time vigor, defending every step of the
government and declaring that the deep
ly-rooted congregations could not be
cradicated in a few months, but that the
orders had not been reconstructed. In the
heat OF. the debate he made The master
stroke stroke thst had ls osessses,founded his
if it could mot give the government it's fun
confidence to say so. as the ministry
would not continue its task undermined
by petty intrigues. The vote of con-
fidence was .6S to 252.
Cabinet Discusses the Crisis.
Following the adjournment of the cham
Der, the cabinet met at the premier's Of
flee and considered the situation.
Foreign Minister Pichon and Minister
Of Commerce Dupuy were for resigning at
once. All OF the other ministers were on
posed to an immediate retirement unless
further developments should make this
move imperative. brands personal wish
was to be free from the obiiga. ions of his
office, but his responsibility to the par
balnentary gToupes supporting ham anu to
the country Persuaded him to remain tor
the present. 1t was suggested that a cab.-
net council be held with resident t,ai-
l.eres tomorrow, but thIs plan was not
adopted.
After a discussion that continued for
several hours an adjournment was taken
until O'Clock this morning
When they reconvened today the minis
tors in a conference of on hour decired
to postpone the question Of their reslgna-
tons until after the obseqtles for Gen.
Brun, the late minister of war, Monday.
The cabinet Will meet at 30 o'clock
Monday afternoon.
Aimed at the Church.
If the ministry retires it will he be-
cause the anti-clericals desire more Sc
we're measures against the church, and a
new cabinet would be compelled to carry
out such policy. On this question Bri-
and's supporters figure that he would
have Il clear majority of tWenty-fiv in
the chamber of deputies, and assert tnat
it IS not improbable that another vote OF
confidence would be sufficient to continue
him in Office. They claim also that no
one capable Of taking his place is in sight
The case OF Brand is not unlike tnat
Of Premier Clemenceau, whom he sue
nGad foil ~,
ton of the extreme right and the extreme
left, with the aid OF fifty members who
were normally supporters of the govern
ment, and al a time when his weakest
point, perhaps, was overconiidence in the
strength of his ministry.
Inc religious question that now threat
ems Brands hold OH the government
brought him first into power. He was
appointed reporter of the church and
state separation BILL in which capacity
he won such a distinction that in 1906
ne was made minister of public instruc-
tion and worship. Repeatedly attacked
as premier. he has always received
fiattering majority when the question
| raised. March Is. 1910, he was vindi-
Gated by vote of 343 to 70. Six weeks
later he was given vote of :sy, to IT,
| Bitterly assailed for having put down the
strike last fall. he defended his coursr. so
we'll that on October 80 the chamber yot-
ed confidence in the government bv 500
| to 1S5.
| In November the clericals and socialists
again attacked him on the governments
attitude toward labor. This time his
vote was 236 to zoo.
Resigned Last November.
BRAND has been insulted by the royal
lists and physically assaulted by a mad
man, but not until last night did the DO
litical opposition to his government as
sumo such Importance as to make proba-
pie his permanent retirement. He did
resign with his cabinet November last,
but on the very same day he was re-
quested by the president to form q new
ministry, which he did with sweeping
| changes.
| 1t was generally understood at the time
that this resignation was for the pur-
pose of ridding the government of men,
bers not wholly In sympathy with the
BRAND policies and that the premier re-
turned to power stronger than before.
| Dvnamite EYn1odes Three Men Dead