New Britain herald., 1917-09-11
PAINLEVE BEGINS
TO form CABINET
Minister Of War to Give Several
Posts to Socialists

Paris Sept. 11.-Paul Painleve,
minister of war, who, last night, &C
copied the task of forming new
ministry, Immediately began holding
conferences with party representa-
tives and the prevailing impression
in political circles Is that he will sue
coed in forming cabinet. It Is un-
derstood that the socialist party lead
ers who refused to collaborate with
M. Ribot because, it is said, Of his
refusal to issue passports to French
delegates to the Stockholm peace con-
ference, are disposed to give that COL
laboration to M. Painleve. Delegates
of the socialist party wero to meet
with M. Painleve today and 1t is con-
sidered possible that the socialists
the new cabinet.
The War Minister has made an ex-
cellent impression in political circles,
on the general public, and in the army
by the measures he has taken since
he has held office. Notable among
them was the appointment of General
Petain to be Commander-in and
the revival of the post of Chief OF the
General Staff for General Foch.
In announcing his decision to give
up his effort to form Cabinet, M.
Ribot sketched briefly the program he
had formulated for the guidance of
himself and his colleagues he had ex-
pected to have with him. OF especial
interest at this time in connection
with the notorious disclosures in the
Duval-A1m erayda case, as a result OF
which Minister Of the Interior Malvy
recently resigned, was M. R1bot's de-
cision to apply as rapidly as posi-
bleble legal measures to all the GRIM
inal acts which are being Investigated.
nothing to discover the
authors of moves against the national
defense, and being restrained by no
considerations for any one His
program also comprised a more ener-
getic conduct Of the war and the ex-
tension of liberty, ION condition that
its exercise be not confounded with
criminal propaganda"
Ribot's Proposed Changes.
It appears, the principal changes
contemplated by M. Rtbot were the
substitution OF M. Bienvenu Martin
for Rene Viviani as minister of JUS
tice, of Maurice Long for the much
criticised Maurice Violette as minister
of subsistence, and the creation of a
new ministry Of national reconstruct
ton, to which Louis Luoien Klotz,
president of the chambers budget
committee, was to have been nom1n-
ated. On the withdrawal of the So
cialists M. Ribot proposed to make
Louis Loucher. who as under secre-
tary for munitions in charge OF the
manufacturing sections had rendered
yoeman service in organizing the in
dustries, minister Of munitions IN
place of Albert Thomas.
When the new ministers assem- bed
Professor Painleve announced that he
would decline to continue in Office
without socialist representation in the
cabinet This brought about the col
lapse of the combination.
The delegates Of the socialist party
who announced their withdrawal of
support informed M. Ribot, says l'Hu-
mantle, that the party did not believe
a reconstruction of the Ribot ministry
possible. They affirmed, according to
this newspaper, that France could no
longer be satisfied with governme ntS
made up of fragments from different
political groups, and that the country
expected Of the men who took the
reins a display Of driving force.
The delegates, continues Human
lite, declined to enter into a discus
sion of any political program, con-
tenting themselves with declaring
that the support of the socialist party
could not be given to the proposed
readjustment, which did not appear
to them to meet the needs of the
hour. They added that they felt they
wer performing painful duty, as
they were in sympathy with NJ. Rtbot
on many points of his policy.