El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-12-25
.CLemenceau May Be President
Of France Next Year; Reds Take
Hope through Success In LtaLy

= there were always doubtful critics.
] There, the labor movement is an
] organic unity labor party, trade
! unions and cooperative organizations
I are three integral parts OF a single
whole. Action by the trade unions
I IN Belgium has the whole weight OF
Z the political party and the cOopera-
tives behind il, and similarly In an
| election the Labor party can rely on
{ the same undivided support
But the Confederation Generate du
Trsvu Of France is not only an in
I dependent. but an avowedly anti
parliamentary body.
s'For the moment France has
given a verdict OF repose.s But
France is not eontenfed, least OF
all l. the French working class
contented. Under present circum-
stances there can be no cOutinued
tranquility. The storm center
viii be, as Il has been, I'm the c.
G. t. and unless the new ehnm-
her behaves as no one expects IL
TO behave, Industrial action viii
20 on without paying any regard
TO It."
First France defeated the German.
now she mas crushed the BolsheTik,
but the immediate political future re-
mains almost as uncertain as before
the elections. Clemenceau. it is IN
circles, win resign his premiership IN
January While the old Tiger is
doubtless sincere in his desire 70 re-
turn TO private life. pressure is being
exercised on him 70 accept the presl-
dency. II he win take the office,
which Is AZ the disposal not Of the
people but OF the national assembly.
he wiz be elected by an enormous
H0 Small Power.
In theory. the president OF France
has less power than the occupant OF
the white house. lacking the right OF
veto and the executive organization
at the disposal Of the American chief
magistrate. But IN practice under
conditions the president here can
make himself a great power because
II is ne VINO chooses the prime min
lister
Andre Tardieu. who first came TO
public notice as high commissioner
Tor France in the United states dur
ing the war. IS perhaps the favorite
1or the premiership after Ciemenceau
resigns He is known TO enjoy the
confidence and esteem Of the Tiger,
ana no one can govern France now
without Clemenceau's support
There are five other men who are
discussed for the Premiership. Il
seems certain thatsfhe selection must
be made from among BRAND. Barthou
and NiViani three former prime min
lsters or from AiIlerand. Loucheur or
Iardieu-
Belgium n Paradox.
Belgium the martyr country OF the
war, demonstrated in her election last
week that however. paradoxicaI the
statement sounds. she has been less
arrected politically by the war than
any other beugereut. less even than
the United States Her male popula-
uon IN great part did no fighting.
living under German rule for four
years; her fields and cities were IN .
devastated, excepting for the zone OF 4
outrage IN 1914 and the small belt !
where the armies fought in subse- ;
quent campaigns.
Belgium was the first European {
country 70 get back 20 work: she IS .
now a hive OF Industry. producing so !
percent OF her 1913 output and alone 4
OF al the countries IN the world turn 4
ing out her full normal supply Of /
eoeL The elections proved that the I
belgian parties the issues Of Belgian Z
politics, have not been materially Z
chanEed BY years OF German tyranny.
Hitherto the Catholic party had
been supreme; this year IL won 50 /
seats, against 65 Socialist, S5 Liberals.
anc six scattering. So the Clericals
have a plurality but MT q majority.
md must rely on liberal support 10 I
1ut vote the Socialists. There win
be coalition government. in which
not only many Liberals but not a few
SOCIALISTS VIII be represented. and the
,naracter OF the new chamber makes
{ unlikely that Bslgium's extreme
demands on Holland Tor portions Of
Dutch territory wiz be pressed
1o2yrights 1918. Mcclure Newspaper I
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