Pom care Resigns

Poincare Resigns

Raymond Poincare, Premier, tendered his resignation to President Millerand; later, he withdrew it.

The reason for Poincare's flurry was the refusal of the Senate to try Marcel Cachin and 33 other Communists, charged with making seditious speeches in the Ruhr. Poincare evidently felt this to be a direct slap in the face for him on his Ruhr policy. He marched to the Elysee, official residence of the French Presidents at Paris, interrupted an important dinner party, tendered his resignation. M. Millerand, however, refused to accept it, stating that the issue involved was not political but juridical. Poincare then withdrew his proffered resignation.

Speculation on the part of newspapers points to the fact that the incident has grave political import. This is not true. There may have been forces at work to make it appear so, but it is undeniable that the Poincare Ministry enjoys the overwhelming confidence of the Chambre des Deputes. The Senate has never been over friendly to Poincare on his Ruhr program, but at the same time it has not been antagonistic as a whole. Its decision on the Communist case was juridical and directed against abusing the use of the Senate as a High Court. It is now announced that M. Colrat, Minister of Justice, is preparing a plan for the creation of a Supreme Tribunal to try crimes of a political nature.

It must not be overlooked, however, that insidious plans were on foot to upset the Poincare Ministry on the Ruhr issue. One plan had in view a rapprochement with Britain, the creation of a separate Rhineland state, immediate negotiation with the Germans and the formation of an industrial ministry under the leadership of Loucheur. Poincare was too strong. It was felt that an attack on his Ruhr policy would be tantamount to admitting the weakness of France. The scheme was dropped. Another plan is on foot, however, to force the Premier to resign on the Near Eastern question; but Poincare is proving a difficult man to remove, principally because he is backed strongly on account of the Ruhr, and the Near East question is becoming brighter. France cannot afford to change its Government until the Ruhr question has at least been brought to the conference stage. The mock resignation of the Premier is entirely unconnected with this plot; although, no doubt, efforts were made to take advantage of the situation.