Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-27
BUCK-PASS|NG SEEN
AS PO|NCARE'S AIM.
Sends Word to Radicals He
Will Resign When Total
Is Fixed.
BY Radio to The Star.

BY RADIO to The star
PARIS, January 26-Wf1at is IN
doubtedly a shrewd political move has
been made by Premier Poincare, fore
shadowing his withdrawal from the
premiership as soon as the new experts
committee will have fixed the total of
Germany's reparations. 1t is learned
from highly reliable authority that M
Poineare has sent word to the radical
Socialist party through Louis Loucheau
minister of labor and member OF the
Left radical party, which is the party
nearest the radical Socialist party that
is not included in the present coalition
ministry, that he will resign immediate
~ the experts task is completed.
This means that the present ministry
of armistice If 1t does not fall before
then, will probably come to an end Two
or three months from now. leaving the
path open to the Radical Socialists to
again share seats in the government, as
they did under the government OF ma
tional union" until November of last
year.
M. Poincare, 1t Is learned privately,
told M, Loucheur that he had no in
tentions of retaining the premiership
once the reparations question had been
settled by the second Dawes committee.
Furthermore. it is stated. the premier
authorized M. Loucheur to communi-
cate his determination to resign to the
Radical Socialist leaders.
Using Slender Majority.
What this actually signifies is that
M. Poincare is utilizing the very slender
majority which his government now has
in the Chamber of Deputies as an ex-
cuse to pave the way for avoiding the
responsibility for the great interna-
tional problems connected with the
hoped-for reparations settlement
II M. Poincare resigns in April or
May, it will not be his government which
in conference with the other powers
concerned, will probably sign the
agreement admitting Germany's pos
sibly much-reduced payments as final.
More than that, M. Poincare, by
resigning would leave to his successor
the obnoxious duty of ratifying the
Mellon erenger debt agreement. pay
ing the $400 100000 war stocks bill to
the United States. which is due in
August Of this year and authorizing the
advance evacuation of the Rhineland.
BY stepping from his Office, the pre-
mier would let the responsibility for all
these unpleasant but necessary tasks
fall on the shoulders of a new govern
ment. Among those few officials who
know of this secret move of M. Poincare
there Is little doubt that this is what is
in his mind.
Double Edge to Threat.
1t is admitted here, however, that
there is a double edge to M. Poincare' S
threat of resignation. which verges
upon a promise. AS domestic politics
now stand, the stand of the Radical
Socialists against M. Poincare is the
most united they have yet presented.
In recent months the premier has
twice threatened to resign, but has not,
and as consequence virtually the
whole Radical Socialist party is now
definitely aligned against him.
/ But by assuring the Radical Social
| list leaders that he will resign within
| two or three months M. Poincare may
expect that this party's oppositions
while the reparations negotiations are
in progress. will be appreciably lessen
; ed, permitting him more absolute power
until the experts have finished their
| task.
Through M. Loucheur's quiet message
! the Radical Socialists also may be forced
to contemplate a none-too-gratifying
| position If they should return to power
| in the Spring, and will again have to
| accept the responsibility for the repara-
| lions settlement, as Edouard Herriot
| then premier, was forced to do in Lon
don in 1914.
Attacks May Be Reduced.
After thinking this over together with
the closely approaching hour
when debts must be ratified. the Radical
Socialists may not be so anxious to as
sumo so large portion of public re.
SpOnsibility. AS consequence. Their
attacks on the Poincare government
may be reduced for some time to come
The real significance OF M Poincare's
message to the Radical Socialists is con-
tanned in the fact that reveals him de-
sirous of side-stepping the Preparations
and debt settlements and preparing to
relinQuish the reins of government
when that moment arrives.
However. close political observers see
the possibility of the government fall
ing even before that time, and they are
divided between AriStide BRAND, min
lister of foreign affairs, and Andre Tar
dieu, minister of the interior, as the
men most likely to be chosen to carry
the tasks mentioned above to conclu-
sion.
In any case, M Poincare's conversa-
ton with M. Loucheur solidifies opinion
that the present Poincare government
is extremely unlikely to endure very
far into the new year, and that In the
end another government is more likely
to be the one to put France over the
separations and war debt hurdles.