Dans le Parlement

The Electoral Reform Bill chaperoned by Premier Poincare was defeated in the Chamber of Deputies by 290 votes to 275. As the Premier had not made it a question of confidence, the defeat did not imply non-support of the Government.

Premier Poincare, Minister of Finance Lasteyrie, Minister of War Maginot and Sub-Secretary of Aero- nautics Eynac appeared before the Senate Committee of Finance and Foreign Affairs to state why loans of 400,000,000 francs to Poland, 300,000,000 francs to Yugo-Slavia and 100,000,000 francs to Rumania should be made. After the session the Committee adopted the bills relating to Poland and Yugo-Slavia, but post-poned for further consideration that relating to Rumania. The bills are to be submitted to the Senate and the Chamber.

The surprise of the week was of a jack-in-the-box nature. Premier Poincare hid his chagrin at the defeat of the Electoral Reform Bill from the Chamber for two days, while the air was charged with amendments, sub-amendments, remonstrance and counter remonstrance, orations cold and orations hot. Suddenly out sprang M. Poincare from his little box, uttered a few short, sharp, subtle sentences making the passage of the bill a question of confidence in the Government, and -- abracadabra, the bill was passed by 408 votes to 127, thus completely reversing the minority vote of two days previous. This so moved M. Charles Bernard, a Deputy for Paris, that he said: "M. Poincare swings this Chamber around as easily as Mussolini does Italy's, but with somewhat more tact and respect."