Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-13
FRENCH MINISTRY
!. CRISIS IS AVERTED
Socialists Overreach Them
selves in Plan to Over.
throw Government
BANK CHARTER IS CAUSE
Effort to Upset Clemenceau
Cabinet Is Checked by
Return of Deputies
BANK CHARTER is CAUSE
Special Cable to EUening Public Ledger


Copyright. 1918. bv Nc,p Yorn Times Co.
Paris. July 13.
Through adrot maneuvering the So
cialists in the Chamber of Deputies came
within an ace of bringing about the fall
of the Government. and involving the
country in a political crisis of the frs,
magnitude, which at the present juncture
might have seriously compromised the
cause of the Allies
The incident occurred in the course
of the twelfth of long series of de-,
bates which the Socialists are insisting
on devoting to the question of re-
newal of the charter of the Bank of
France. with the object of hampering
the Government. Most of the sessions
have been chara acterized by very thin
houses. owing to the fact that large
number of members were absent in the
country.
1t should be explained that so far as
voting powers are concerned, the actual
presence of a member in the House is
Unnecessary, as under the French sys-
TEN voting by written bulletin is pos
siblc. and vote by proxy is very fire.
group of members may cast five times
their number of votes
Charter Is Renewed
At yesterdays session n fair number
OF Socialist members were present on
the extreme Left. but the Center and
Right. or Conservative benches. were
virtually empty. The first division
of the sitting was one an amendment
to renew the charter for fifteen years
instead of twenty-five. This was re-
Jected by $40 to 10. Soon afterward
the main proposition. renewing the char
ter for the full term of twenty-five years.
was adopted by 327 to 1876.
The critical period of the debate came
with a fresh Socialist amendment pur-
posing to give the Government power
to terminate or modify the charter at
the expiration of the first ten years OF
the new period. Finance Minister Klotz
emphasized the Importance which the
Government places on the matter by
stating that the Government would re-
gard the rejection of the amendment as
q matter of confidence.
When the moment came to take the
division, NJ. Mistral. one of the Socialist
members, seized the opportunity to de-
mand that a vote should be taken by a
rollcall of the members present and
not by the usual method of depositing
signed bulletins in the urns. Had this
nlaneuvre been successful there Is no
doubt that the Government would have
fallen. as a large number of members.
regarding the main question as decided
had left the House, and of the hundred
OF SO remaining, the Socialists We're un-
doubtedly in the majority.
The only thing that prevented a dis
aster to the Government was the laXity
of the Socialists themselves. Accord
ing to the rules of the House. when a de.
mand of this kind is made. it must be
supported by the signatures of at least
fifty members present. Mistral handed
ina list of fifty names, which We're read
out by Rene Renault. acting speaker
in the absence of Paul Deschanel. To
the Intense disgust OF the Socialists. only
forty-fye of their own, men proved to be
present by answering to the cali Of their
names. p 4--- e. K
consequently" said Renault. the
vote will be taken in the ordinary way
Socialist Plan Goes Wrong T.
The anger of the Socialists at thus
seeing their cleverly laid plan go wrong
was pronounced Most of them ex-
pressed their feelings by yells and
shouts, to the enormous delight of the
) Center and Right, which expressed their
joy by madly banging down the lids
of their desks amid repeated peals of
exasperating laughter.
Then somebody discovered that there
was not a quorum present, and the
Socialists shouted for adjournment OF
the debate to another sitting The
House quickly filled up to the required
quorum. however, and several other
Socialist amendments were rejected by
substantial majorities until the end OF
the sitting came in due course.
Opinion in Paris yesterday was not
fiattering to the Socialists, who are Bit
terly reproached for their tactics in
deliberately attempting to involve the
country in a political crisis in the
present critical situation. 1t is recalled
that Clemenceau's last government was
brought down by a similar surprise
manoeuvre in 1909 and France, in it's
appreciation of the magnificent manner
in which the veteran Premier and War
Minister is carrying on the Government
is fearful over the narrow escape OF
Thursday.
Incidentally, as more than one paper
points out. 1t will be the duty of men,
bers of the patriotic parties. who form,
a great majority of the House, to be
more assduous in their attendance in
the future, as the Socialists are certain
to repeat their attempt.