The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-01-23
French FoiI
 To Pick Heod
Election Session Lases Five Minutes

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 Paris. Jan. 28-(UP) The scheduled election of Felix Couin as president of France was delayed today hy a new r0una of sharp bargaining among lhs three major parties which had agreed on him as a oomproniss candidate.
 The Constituent Assembly, which viii elect the new president to snes ceed Gen. Charles Dc 0auiie, lmee for five minutes at s:i0 D. m. g0st8 a. ni.. EST and adjourned without setting a time for meeting again. The delay appeared to have been prompted by a desire on the part of the Communists, Socialists and Popular Republicans to dicker fur ther on undisclosed issues.
 Adjournment Proposed
 Andre Mercier, Communist, took oouin's place as chairman of the assembly at the afternoon session. As soon as 1t opened, Francois De Menthon, Popular Republican and chief French prosecutor at Nurezl- berg, proposed an adjournment.
 Maurice vlolette, Socialist, pro- tested. He said the people would not be able to understand if the Assembly continued to play politics, and demanded Q definite decision hy tonight. De Menthon's motion was put to a vote and carried by a show of hands.
 The big three party leaders met this morning and afternoon. The Popular Republicans were reported demanding certain key cabinet seats as well as assurance on the new governments program.
 Gouim Persuaded
 Agreement upon the Socialist Gouin to succeed Gen. Charles De Gaulle was achieved when the con- servative Popular Republican Party agreed to participate with the Com munists and Socialists in a govern ment led by the 6l-year-old pres ident of the Consultative Assembly. Gouin was persuaded to accept the post over his personal objections.
 The popular Republicans insisted, too, that their leader, Georges Bid- ault, retain his position as foreign minister in the new government.
 The Popular Republicans insisted on certain conditions, however, tn- cluding recognition of the principle that Gouin was to act as an arbiter, holding himself above party lines. The Communists proposed GouIn originally, they said, because his role of assembly president put him at least partially above partisan considerations.
 Suggest Gesture
 Small rightwing groups indicated they would not support any tFi- partite candidates. They considered nominating Michel Clemenceau, son of the last war premier. for the presidency as Q gesture. This aroup mustered about 90 votes.
 Gouin began preliminary talks to- ward formation of a cabinet last night. 1t was reported.
 Election of Q new assembly pres lident to succeed 0ouin was neces~ sary. The Communists agreed that the post should go to a SocialisE. since Oouin belongs to that party.
 Son of Schoolseachers
 Gouin, a brisk. buslness-like man. has been a career politician for more than % years. He joined the Socialist Party in le0s, and won a seat in the Chamber of Deputies in 1924.
 The son of two schooi-teachers. he was born on Oct. {, 1884, at Peypin in the southern Bouches du Rlione Department. He attended law school at Marseille and entered the bar there in 1907. In 1928 he was elected mayor of Istres.
 During the German occupation. Gouin helped to reconstitute clan destineiy the Socialist Party. which oficially had been dissolved.