Dans le Parlement

Cuffs, kicks and curses was the order of the day in the Chambre des Deputes when Royalist Reputy Magne called canaille (Scum, scoundrel, brat, riffraff) in a loud voice, apparently at ex-Premier Painleve, who was reading from a large book of records. M. Painleve did not hear the serious imprecation hurled at him, but his friends insisted upon telling him about it.

Thereupon did the ex-Premier flush with anger, despite the fact that he is a professor of mathematics, a critic of the Einstein theory. He dropped the big book with a bang and with 20 of his Socialist colleagues he dashed across the Chambre to storm the Royalist benches. Six uniformed sergeants-at-arms rushed forward to stop the threatened melee; one seized M. Painleve around the waist, but it was useless; they were outnumbered. Blows, kicks, curses, cuffs rained in profusion.

Meanwhile, Premier Poincare was noticed to be "strained and nervous"; MM. Daudet and Magne, responsible for the tumult, remained in safety in the upper rows, cool, calm and collected despite the taunts of laches (cowards, cravens) from the crowded galleries.

Then President Peret seized his silk hat and suspended the session and ordered the galleries to be cleared.

Later, in President Peret's office, M. Magne declared that the insulting word had not been intended for ex-Premier Painleve, but "as a simple commentary on defaitists [name given to the pacifists during the war] like Bolo, Duval and Almerleda." The insult had been provoked by M. Mandel. This explanation was made public in the Chambre and was accepted.