Election Looms

France goes to the polls, this week, to elect the 14th Chamber of Deputies of her present Third Republic. As happened in 1924, when the 13th Chamber was chosen, the Prime Minister who now faces the country is again M. Raymond Poincare, 67, brisk, snowy haired, charming of manner, firm of mind, sagacious. Last time this paladin of politics lost the election (1924) and went out of power for two years. Then the collapse of the franc resulted in his being recalled to the Prime Ministry to restore the shattered finances of France (TIME, Aug. 2, 1926). That task he has now magnificently performed and he turns for recognition and support to a proverbially fickle electorate. Amid the electoral complexities inseparable from French politics the supporters of the Sacred Union Cabinet of M. Poincare are merely heavy favorites in a type of a race which is too often run with freakish results.

New-Old System. This week French voters will thankfully resume the simple system of balloting which sufficed them before the War. In the 1924 election they were mystified by the so-called scrutin de liste, a well meant but inexplicable procedure which was supposed to ensure by mathematical proportioning a greater representation of minority groups in Parliament.

At present a first balloting will occur on April 22, 1928, and a second vote will be taken one week later in electoral districts where no candidate achieved a majority.

Champions. Astute M. Andre Geraud, famed as Pertinax, leading Parisian journalist-oracle, has said of the present election: "Socialism would appear to be the principal issue . . . or rather, the battle will be fought between the uncompromising opponents of socialism and the people who halfway disapprove of it."

The anti-socialist ranks include Prime Minister Poincare, erudite Minister of Justice Louis Barthou, and smart, facile Minister of Public Works Andre Tardieu. A swing by the electorate to these men and their supporters would mean the definite retention in office of M. Poincare and the consecration of his policies.

In the rival and cautiously socialist ranks referred to by Pertinax stand the leaders of the famed Cartel des Gauches or Coalition of the Left Parties, which has been the strongest influence in French politics for 25 years. These men include Minister of Education Edouard Herriot, who has bungled so often as Prime Minister, Louis Loucheur "the richest man in France," and Minister of Interior Albert Sarraut. Their orbit usually encompasses such more independent socialists as famed Foreign Minister Aristide Briand and that great mathematician War Minister Paul Painleve.

A leftward swing by the voters to pre-ponderately support this group of groups would very probably result in the eventual replacement of Prime Minister Poincare by some outstanding member of the Cartel des Gauches and would lead to less orthodox handling of State finance. As may be seen from the above summary, it is a curious fact that the leaders of both the large rival groupings are now members of the present Sacred Union Cabinet which was assembled during the franc crisis from leaders of all parties. Thus no matter which way the election swings, a considerable proportion of the present Cabinet Ministers are sure to remain in office.

For the moment the minor internal issues of French politics are entirely dwarfed by that of finance; and the external policy of the Republic seems sure to continue liberal and pacific under the guidance of the Cartel and veteran Foreign Minister Aristide Briand. Thus the coming realignment of political forces will presumably lead not to an abrupt but to a gradual change in direction and policies.