EXIT CLEMENCEAU.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 566, 22 July 1909, Page 5

EXIT CLEMENCEAU.

NAVY SCANDALS.

BRILLIANT DUEL WITH DELCASSE. WHO HUMILIATED FRANCE? (By Telegraph.—Press A»«ocUtlon.—Copyright.) .:■.. : (Roc. July 21, 11.15 p.m.) ' . Paris, July 21. The Clomencoau Government, whdot has held office since 1906, has resigned in consequence of a no-confidence vote in the Chamber, of Deputies. Decadent Stato of, the Navy. The Chamber had been discussing the report of the Navy "Commission, which declared that the Danton Dreadnoughts were costing 50 per cent, above the,estimate;. that' though they will be finished by 1911, the guns and ammunition will hot be completed till 1914 or 1915; that there is not a single graving dock to accommodate the Dantons; that ships have .been ordered before their plans were completed, and that guns have been ordered without their models being tested. Moreover, . ' : . ' .

"Defects in existing g-uns have caused bo many accidents that the Mediterranean Squadron nas abandoned firing practice. Some big giina have been worn by the firing of 100 rounds. ... France has spent .mO.MO.MO in the last ten years, and Germany rather less. Yet France, which was the second naval Power a decade ago,' is now the fourth. Germany, which was the fourth ten yeara ago, Ms now the second." ; '. ■ ■'

After several days' discussion of the re•port, M. Picard (tho non-political Minister of Marine whom M. Clemenceau appointed last year to reorganise the navy) admitted that there had been , serious mismanagement of certain Departments, and* promised reorganisation, but urged that the critics 'were'over-pessimistic. : . ■ ,:•■'■' .'.' , Delcasse'B Attack. :■■"■ : M; Dolcasse (formerly Foreign Minister) followed with.a.bitter speech. He : attacked the three preceding Ministers of Marino, and taunted: the Premier (M. Clemenceau) with seeking to evade his responsibility., Money Vhich ought to have built • several ships had been wasted upon one. Inferior boilers had been ordered instead of Bellevilles. Such a -catastrophe 'as the loss of the Jena might have been-averted. • '•.'. e ' M; 1 Clemenceau ridiculed, the idea of M. Delcasse presuming to talk of recklessness, seeing th"at he ted France into the Algeciras (Morocco), affair, which was the greatest humiliation ; Franco had; received 'for twenty, years., ''■ ■ ' ■ '.'. •' .' ■- ■■ •■■ - : .•■.. ' Amid cheers M. Delcasse vigorously dissented.. ■'.-. '■■ ;.■:■'■ 1...-:''" . '■;'■■. ■'■' . 'l ■ . V'. M. Clemenc&aa, continuing, said,:: "You brought us to -the gates of war when we were unprepared. I have not humiliated France:' M. Delcasse humiliated her." •:. '

Defeated by 36 Votes, The voting on the motion of no-confidence in the Government was" as follows :— For the motion 212 Against 170 Majority- against Ministry 36 After the voting M. Clomenceau and his Ministers, qpitjted the Chamber. Tho resignation of , tho Cabinet was forwarded to the President,' M. Fallieres, who accepted it. Tho crisis was quite unexpected. It was due to M. Delcasso's brilliance and to M,. Clemcnceau's violence alienating his supporters. ' • \THE RETIRING PREMIER. Born in 1841, and elected Mayor of Montmartro on >. the overthrow of the Second Enipiro (September i, 1871), M. Georges Clemenceau has been battling in French politics for forty years, making and unmaking Ministries, but not appearing as a constructive politician till March, 1906, when he accepted tho Ministry of the Interior in the Sarrien Administration, of. which he was the virtual head.

On October 23, 1006, M. Sarrien resigned, and M. Clemenceau became Premier,' holding office ever since, and giving France the most 6table Government, it had'had for years. The outstanding performance of his" Government was the separation of' the Churobl and State in France..- It showed , weakness in. connection with the income tax, and the navy scandals, which have been) comitig to' light. for ;nonths largely. ; through , . -M,• DeTcasse's probing, have precipitated the downfall. Only recently the phamber had voted confidence in tho Government in connection with the strike .of postal employees, the Government's firm, handling of the crisis being approved. .Evidently internal influences have been at work within the Government following. ■ Essentially, a rnan/'M , .. Clemenceau's violence 6eems. to have over-reached itself by provoking a revolt within his own party. ' , ,■■ '''. ■■■■' ; .■'.■'•'■ .■ :: On tho death of Sir Henry Campbell-Banner-man, British Prinio Minister, 11. Clontonceiu atfconded the . memorial- service, and he has twice met King. Edward at Marienhad. ■ • He is:an"opponent of Socialism, and styles himsslf a : "humanitarian Eadical." A native o£ Brittany, a doctor by' education, a politician by choice, a born orator, and a keen journalist ; a swordsman, , too,. One of the most picturesque figures .in modern politics. ■ ..... . ■

■■;■■ ;.'-■ ': ,M. DELCASSE. '.' V j ' M: Theophile Delcasse,' tho leading architect of the Clemenceau Government's fall, and per-, haps the next Premier, is remembered as the etatesman who promoted Anglo-French arbitration, paved the way for the Entente,'and. was driven from the Foreign Office through the Kaiser's wrath 1 and threat of war. 11. Delcasse was-born at Painiers, March 1, 1852, educated 'at Parisl and began nis career. as . a journalist. Ho.was elected to the Chamber iu 1889 for Foix, in 1893 became Under-Secretary for the Colonios under : Mlf. Kibot and Dupuy, and Colonial Minister in tho Dnpuy Cabinet of May, .1891. Hβ has always been a consistent .'advocate of colonial expansion; When' •M. Brisson formed his Ministry in 1898, he entrusted Foreign Affairs to M. Delcasse, and it fell to.his lot to deal with the difficult position at Fa«hoda. He retained his portfolio in M. Dupuy's Ministry, after the defeat- of the Brisson Administration.' In 1899 he negotiated tho agreement with Great Britain as to the Nile valley and Central Africa, and still remained Foreign Minister whei M. WaldeckEousseau succeeded M. Dupuy, and when M in 1902 succeeded' M. Waldeck-Rous-seau. He brought. about th,o rapproohoment with Italy, visited England with the President in 1903, and.with lord Lansdowne prepared the Anglo-French Agreement signed April 8, 1904. The difficulty with Germany about Morocco caused his retirement in 1905.