The Washington herald., 1919-12-28

S'SlcS' VIII resign MS premiership
IN January. Who will succeed him
nobody knows.
While the old Tiger Is doubtless
private life. pressure Is being cxer-
cised on him TO accept the Pres
idency. II he will take the ofiice.
which Is at the disposal not OF the
people but OF the national assembly.
composed OF the senate and chamber
sitting together. he will be elected
by an enormous majority.
In theory the President of France
has less power than the occupant OF
the White House. lacking the right
to veto and the executive organtza-
ton at the disposal of the American
Chief Magistrate. But in practice.
under present conditions. the Presi-
dent here can make himself a great
power. because 1t is he who chooses
the prime minister. When a political
crisis occurs and there are likely to
be a great many of them in the next
few years-the President sends for
the man he believes to be best fitted
to govern France and asks him to
form a Cabinet. II the man chosen
refuses. the President picks someone
else. and so on until he gets a prime
minister who Is able to secure a vote
Of confidence from the chamber.
Andre Tardieu, who first came TO
public notice as high commissioner
for France in the United States dur
ing the war, Is perhaps the favorite
for the premiership after Clemenceau
resigns. He Is known to enjoy the
confidence and esteem OF the Tiger.
and no one can govern France now
yutfhnnf ClaUnanRaan'a lunnnTf Tar
dieu at present 10 minister for the
devastated regions. q most difficult
task In which he has distinguished
himself. His friends predict that this
Job will be q stepping stone to the
highest honors.
There are five other men who are
discussed for the premiership. 1t
seems certain that the selection must
be made from among BRAND. Barthou
and Viviani. three former prime min
listers. or from Millerand. Loucheur
or Tardieu.
Tiger Dislikes BRAND.
BRAND is perhaps the most distin-
guished OF these candidates. but he
is suspected OF having desired . weak
peace during 1917. and his attitude
of political aloofness in the past two
years 10 IOt llHcly u dppCdi " lhC
new chamber which is composed OF
$50 new members. well over half the
total number OF deputies. Moreover.
Clemenceau does not like BRAND. and
this point alone will be decisive. un-
less the aged dictator changes his
mind. Barthou is also not likely to
be acceptable to Clemenceau. as he
attacked the prime minister during
the debates last summer and Is re-
garded as the most radical leader not
actually a member OF the Socialist or
Caillaux groups. He regarded the
peace treaty as too harsh. Barthou
could hardly manage the chamber.
most Of whose members supported the
treaty in their election campaigns.
Americans will remember the elo-
cnence Of Viviani during his trip with
Joffre through the United States in
1917. He Is the greatest orator in
France and one Of the finest public
speakers living; was prime minister
when the war was declared. and has.
through the critical debates on the
peace treaty. given Clemenceau his
entire support. Millerand. since the
armistice. has administered Alsace
and Lorraine. and acquitted himself
with distinction in this formidably
delicate task. He Is a conservative
whose views accord well with those Of
most Of the new deputies. and II the
chamber does not want new blood
and demands Tardieu II 10 likely to
get one OF the two veterans. Mil
lerand or Viviani.
Loucheur Is the dark horse In the
race: a comparatively young man who
did brilliant work during the peace
negotiations as a member of the cabi-
net. and has Just been elected in the
new house, his rising star Is talked
of in Partisan salons. There appears
TO reason to suppose that he can
supplant the more distinguished vet
Grams just mentioned, excepting the
gossip which predicts that Clemeh-
ceau desires to oestoW on MIN the su-
preme power.
Belgium Politically Sound.
BeIeiur, tho martyr country Of the
war demonstrated in her election last
week that. however paradoxical the
statement sounds, she has been less
affected politically by the war than
any other belIiScrent, less even than
the United states. Her male popula-
ton in great part did no fighting, Nv
ing under German rule for four years;
her fields and cities were undevastat-
ed, excepting for the zone of outrage
in 1914 and the small belt where the
armies fought in subsequent cam
paigns.
Belgium was the frst European
country to get back to work; she