Evening star., 1925-04-19
The Story the Week Has Told

Herriot, the unified Socialists refused
to participate in his government and
thus share responsibility. In other
words, they had him at their mercy.
BY threatening withdrawal of their
support, they forced him to take
more radical line than he wished to
take. These tactics aroused resent
ment in the Senate, which. being mod
erately Left, was naturally kindly dis
posed toward Herriot, and recognition
that Herriot was not his own master
greatly weakened general confidence
in his government. Painleve tried to
obtain from the leaders of the unified
Socialists assurance of participation
of their party in his proposed govern
ment. They promised to summon a
meeting of their national committee
to consider the matter, but meantime
investigation had convinced Painleve
that he could not conciliate the re-
quired support in the Senate. and on
the 18th he reported to the president
inability to form a government.
BRAND, whose following of national
radicals rather resemble the British
Liberals, had agreed to serve under
Painleve as foreign minister.
The President then turned to BRAND.
BRAND proposed a government on
practically the same ostensible basis
as that proposed by Painleve; but the
real difference would be great. BRAND
is far less sympathetic with the views
of the Unified Socialists than is
Painleve. On April IA the national
committee of the Unified Socialists
met and not only unanimously re-
fused to participate in a BRAND gov
ernment, but also declined even to
pledge a conditional voting support
in the Chamber. Therefore BRAND in
turn notified President Doumergue of
his inability to form a government.
SO Painleve was turned down in the
Senate and BRAND in the Chamber.
Ut may be assumed that BRAND did
obtain or could have obtained aSsur-
ances of the required support in the
Senate) Many thought that, rebutted
by the Unified Socialists, BRAND
would attempt to form a Center bloc.
1t is to be supposed that he explored
that alternative and either discovered
that the Left bloc could not, at least
for the nonce, be disrupted Chat is,
that he could not win over the
Radical Socialists) or decided that an
effort to form a Center government
! would be premature.
At any rate, on the 14th the Presi-
dent turned once more to Painleve,
who again essayed the task, and on
the 18th reported success.
M. Caillaux, minister of justice.
Well, one rather expected that. But
BRAND accepting to serve as foreign
minister in a cabinet including Gail
laux--that is trifla staggering. The
character and record of Caillaux are
! outside my brief. He undoubtedly
possesses considerable financial talent
and it appears that he does not ap-
prove the extreme financial program
of the Unified Socialists. But whether
! his association with the government
might not have subtly disastrous con-
sequences for example, to the rela-
tions between Britain and, France),
more than offsetting any benefits from
his financial sagacity. is an intriguing
question. What will the upper house
have to say to him? Did Painleve
obtain satisfactory assurances on that
head before rendering him the port
folio? The question is particularly
pertinent in view of the fact that the
Unified Socialists refused to partici-
pate in the government, though prom
] Using the same so-called support they
&gave Herriot
On the 14th both houses of Rarliar