The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-05-04
France is Considerably Asisated Over
Whether Presidents Enemies
VIII Prove Sue
cessful.
THEY BUSTED M. BRAND
New President of France May be
Able to Turn the Tables and
Get Rid of oppo-
sitlon.
by William Philip simms. Paris cor

respondent OF the United Press.1
PARIS, May 3.-Will President Ray
nond Poincare be forced to resign Of
ice by his political enemies? France
is considerably agitated over this
question and in the corridors of the
senate and the chamber of deputies
lawmakers talk little else.
Beyond doubt President Poincare
is one of the most popular presidents
in the history of the republic. His
popularity forced his election
over Jules Pans. the duly nominated
candidate of the ruling bloc in parlia-
ment. the senators and deputies In
session at Versailles fearing to oppose
the manifest will of the nation
The leaders of the opposition, the
bloc which opposed Poincare at Yer
sailles and which caused the downfall
of the BRAND cabinet month after
President Poincare's inauguration, are
Senators Georges Clemenceau and
Emile Combes. both former prime
ministers and acknowledged able
statesmen. At the time of the presi
dental election, the cry which went
up all over France was: The poll
ticians are against the nation,' That
Expressed the situation exactly Much
the same conditions are said to exist
today, and those who are in position
ito know, declare The Tiger as
Clemenceau is nicknamed, will never
give in and will continue his fight
against President Poincare to the bit
ter end.
The first important debate in the
chamber of deputies during the sum
mer session now on will be over the
three year service army bill which
provides for a three year. compulsory
service in the army. alike for all
young men CT army age, instead of the
two years as at present. The govern
ment Is pledged to pass this measure
and even the opposition bloc has de-
clared in it's favor on the ground that
Germany's military activity has fore
ed France to increase her standing
army by about 100000 men. There is
little likelihood of clash between
the bloc and the government over this
point
i The second important question is
1 the electoral reform bill. a measure
framed to secure the representation in
i parliament of the minority parties.
For instance in department where
two candidates are running for office
one may be elected by 10000 as
! against his opponents 10000. In the
| department adjoining one candidate
may be elected with 10000 voices as
against his opponents $4,000, OBJ
], Iviously in one department there are
: 80 900 people without representation.
; while in the sister department the
3 smaller group or 10000 people are
: represented.
President Poincare and his admins
tration favor proportional represent.
ation. The Clemenceau-Combes
bloc opposes the .R. p" as the meas.
t ure is called And it was this oppo.
siticn which brought about Premier
4 Brands resignation, the blcc reject.
ing his recommendations, Here is
q where the clash may again come.
> However President Poincare has
shown disposition to compromise or
n this issue and in the event of con
e tinued filibustering. the onus would
; be thrown upon his enemies. The
cabinet of Premier Louis Barthou !!
regarded as a compromise cabinet
and Barthou, in his message to tn,
chamber, has asked that committees
!. from the two branches of parliamen
: be appointed to seek grounds for al
:. entente, the chamber advocating TIL
:, "R p" the senate rejecting it.
= Likewise stephen Pichon, Barthou'
= foreign minister, and War Ministe
Etienne. were both Pans supporter
at the Versailles election and there
fore in the opposite camp from Poir
IS care.
ID In the meantime the people appea
ct firm in their support of Poincair'
re disappearing of the political pla
"a against him in the face OF what the