THE-MINUTE MINISTRIES

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2177, 16 June 1914, Page 4

THE-MINUTE MINISTRIES

, Tme political dims m Inn-en lias liOrV developd _ into ft' conflict- between bha President (M, Poi-nome) and the,'JJadieat-Socialist .combination in the Chamber of Deputies. French Ministries do not Usually enjoy lon.g lives, but 51. Risers Cab-! met, which looked strong enough on paper, had a remarkably brief tenure of office. We. am t-oM th.it it ia the frfsi time in the history of the Republic that a Govcrnißeot hag fen overthrown on its first Appearance in the Chamber. It was stated that Si. Ribot had bee-i) assured of strong support froffi the Central ■groups, but when thi) test came this support w,ts oottspisjotis by its alaSBttce and ho' was defeated by 374 votes to IBT. Since the .electrons' the present French bag seen the resignation of M- DottMßßCtoE's Cabinet, M. Tjviani's failure to form-a. and ST. Rttof's defeat, pnefcr sinailaj' circutvistaiiee-s a dissolution would have to be ser> iously considered dft .England where two great parties enjoy what is prac-tieft-ITy a monopoly of the administration: but in France there are at least -eight political groups, and it takes a long while to exhaust the possible fearraftgcuiente of these sections by /which a- majority may bo gcea-rfeij.' On tlw present occasion the President lias .given M. yrv-uwi, an flNjtreroo anti-clerical and. aggressive Socialist, another opportunity of fotiniftg a # Mi-fl'ill'i'.y'i and. by tßoafts of a reshftfflkg of tile' political cards I« has sow got a Calii.net together. 'Whether his term of office proves to 3ifi_ long or short, M. Viviani ce-r----taisly has ,i, very difficult task before him, The present outlook is very serious, and it will require astrong and 'afeto statesman to steer the ship of State into safe waters-. The financial" position, which has for some years been decidedly utf* ■satisfactory, has now become critical.. The flew Minister of Pittance- (M. KoutiEKs} has' a-a exceedingly difficult and delicate task to nccoijipljshi but pej'btips the position regarding, the military service law is' oven more serious, tha-n the money probl.jfit, though the two things .are closely related. .There can be no abandonmeat of the ' three->yoar term, and reversion to the two-.ye.ai: period oi military service without i-i&k of straining the Russian A.-lKaneo. Indeed.. Rwssia h,-is already indicated that ift vjewoi the steps' she has re* ■ceMtly taken to increase tIW- pcaco footing of •her Army she expects France to fulfil her obligations in the same direction,. The .French Socialists, a.ftd sonje of the Badioals, bitte*iy opppse "tho trieniiiitftv-' bat ■m analysis -of. the voting at the recent elections is said to' prove unmistakably that the country recognises that-the additional ' burden ..Must be borne if the safety .of the iiation is to be scetiftd. H. Ribot's statement in favour of maintaining the three-years' law was receiyc-i with satisfaction', *tnd now M. NotJL'Etfs hate announced that it roiist be upheld. Taking th<s international outlodk into consideration no rcspoisihle sfcatesfti»,n could adopt-any other■ course, _no matter how nrtich he might desire to reduce the bur■cten nf militey exipe-nditute. Tho new Govein-riifinfc will have to retain the g&odwill of So ftlainy gwafttps with varying aira.s and ideaits'that it will need to Wftllc warily if ib h to afeii an early fall It's policy, therefaie, is not likely to bft of a very heroiri or startling ete-rae-ter. It call only live, by -eoiaproni-ise.