Theunis Quits

His Majesty King Albert accepted Hie resignation of Premier Georges Theunis and his Cabinet.

The reason for this resignation is laid to the door of a proposition to substitute the Flemish language for French in the University of Ghent. This measure was modified in the Senate to permit the use of both languages. The Cabinet then resigned.

In view of the virtual reparations crisis existing on the Continent, it is extremely improbable that the Cabinet would resign over a minor issue such as that of the language dispute. It is therefore probable that in inclining toward Anglo-Italian proposals for a reparations policy Premier Theunis became caught in the cross-firing of the French. Unwilling to alter his policy and at the same time pressed by Poincare, French Premier, there was nothing for M. Theunis to do to avoid a rupture either with Britain and Italy on the one hand and France on the other, except resign. He therefore seized upon a domestic pretext for his action.

M. Georges Theunis (Catholic Party) became Premier and Minister of Finance on December 14, 1921. He has always shown himself inclined to moderation, and since the first two months of the Ruhr occupation he has strongly advocated a policy of British friendship, which he declared was vital to Belgian liberty.