Evening star., 1931-05-31

CeenCn Time, IL Wouiu pIlng
me i'll luck"
It may be that BRAND some day will
be premier a. thirteenth time-but he
will not be the thirteenth President of
the French republic. Fer the thir-
teenth President will be Paul Doumer,
Ppresident of the Senate and veteran
of the French democracy.
AS usual when President Of the
republic is elected, every one from every
station in life had flocked to Versailles
on the thirteenth of May-again we
find the fatal figure 13-1931. An
army of automobiles had brought an
| dition, this army had poured into the
Restaurant des Reservoirs to see every
thing and to be seen.
At the restaurant the menu was the
same as it was for the presidential
election of 1924. which was the same
as it was for 1920-and that was the
same as in 1918. Only the prices had
changed. and. Of course, they were
higher now. The same people-or ap-
proximately the same people-were
there for lunch. The crowd had pene-
trated even into the pantry. and min
ister was standing near the Kitchen
but no one paid any attention. 1t Is
astonishing how little ministers amount
to in such circumstances.
Battalions of Women.
, BY l o'clock every one was in the
hall Of the National Assembly, in the
corridors or in the court nearby. There
were ladies-a great many ladies.
| Women are superior to men in that
they can enter everywhere, especially
where they have no special business.
And this time there were regular bat
talions Of women. They had taken all
the boxes by storm.
The 900 members of the National As
sembly 600 Deputies, 800 Senators)
filled the half circle of the house. They
were crowded in close against one
another.
Looking down from the galleries. one
could see little red and white spots
the bald heads Of the Senators and the
more abundant hair of the Deputies.
/ Two clocks were hung at the two doors
OF the hall, facing the assembly. 1t is
a strange thing that these two clocks
never keep the same time. In 1924
the one on the right was ahead; this
I time the one on the left had gained:
Is this not proof that the progress OF
democratic ideas is strengthening?
DOumer Takes Charge.
When the hands of the clock on the
lett pointed to o'clock, M. Paul
Doumer, president of the Senates took
the presiding officers chair. He read
the text of the French constitution,
which commands that the Senate and
the Chamber meet together to elect the
President of the republic. And he
added these words: I'VE are going to
proceed Immediately to the election OF
a new President. Ballots will be cast
on the tribune in the order wherein
the names Of those who vote are called.
I am going to draw letter which will
indicate whose name shall come first. y
Then M. Doumer took a heavy die
tionary from the hands of his assistant.
opened it at random and read out the
first letter Of the page on his left. This
| letter was "L" Then members Of the
House whose names begin with "L''
assembled the tribune, placed their bal
lots in the box and returned to their
seats. In the proper order all the other
members followed. ~
This scene lasted two hours. At 4
o'clock the counting of the votes began.
At 4:45 news ran through the lobbies,
| through the entire city and throughout
France: "Aristide BRAND has been
beaten for the presidency of the re-
public by Paul Doumerl"
! It was trues indeed. Figures an.