Briand's Week

Home Affairs. Premier Aristide Briand loitered about the lobbies of the Chamber of Deputies. He loitered only, in the sense that for hours each day he did not go anywhere else. He exhibited his flamboyance in a daring campaign to spellbind the Deputies by his personal magnetism into a belief that the only workable majority which can be formed in the Chamber bears the trademark Aristide Briand et Cie. Stirring interludes ensued.

A group of Deputies surrounded M. Briand and slyly reminded him that the power of M. Herriot's Cartel des Gauches* has allegedly been resurrected. They twitted the Premier with adroit insinuations that the Cartellist Ministers--Chautemps (Interior), Deladier (Education), Durafour (Labor), Renoult (Justice)--were about to resign from the Cabinet, thereby discrediting the Briand Government and paving the way for a purely Cartel Ministry. For the benefit of everyone within hearing the Briand throat was cleared. His luxuriant tufted jungle of hair seemed to dilate as he cast a swift piercing glance about him:

"I shall make every effort for conciliation within my Cabinet. However, if certain Ministers wish to abandon me I will not raise a finger. . . . (But I shall not abandon those Ministers who remain faithful to me and to France! I shall not resign.

"Mon Dieu, why should I? C'est la guerre politique! I am not going to be driven out like that. In my long life I have wanted to rest from the cares of state so many times that I have exhausted all possible means of abandoning power. The hour demands that I hold on! Je fais la guerre politique!"

Some days later the magic of M. Briand's deep 'cello voice and the coercive power of his wire-pulling were seen to have had their effects. The Cartellists began to doubt their ability to oppose a solid front to M. Briand. Suppose the Socialist wing of the Cartel should get out of hand once more? They reflected that a Socialist party caucus was shortly to be convoked. After that it might or might not be evident that the Socialists would line up solidly with the Cartel. Why risk a showdown with Briand before them? In a word, all these Cartellist doubts served to persuade Cartellist Ministers Chautemps, Deladier, Durafour and Renoult that they ought to do M. Briand's bidding once more.

M. Briand spoke honeyed words: "The Spirit of Locarno has entered my Cabinet. We are unanimous. Everything has gone off with perfect cordiality."

Just what had "gone off" was made explicit by a unanimously indorsed Cabinet Communique:

"Finance Minister Doumer proposes to meet all the budget charges, the immediate needs of the Treasury, repayment of Bank of France advances and the creation of a sinking fund for amortization of the floating debt by the following measures:

"By further economies and improvement of tax collection; by measures against fraud; by the creation of a tax on exports; by a tax on Bourse operations; by an increase in the price of tobacco and an exceptional temporary tax on payments, the manner of the collection of which will be established by decree."

Thus Premier Briand succeeded in getting all his Ministers, and to a lesser extent the political groups of which they are members, committed to a definite Briand-Doumer Finance Program. Optimistic observers inclined to the opinion that he can weld and strengthen these commitments into a majority which can resist the Cartel's efforts to dictate Government policy. Political ravens, of course, croaked that the Cabinet's pledge of unanimity was writ in water.

The Premier's best friends were forced to admit that he faces a herculean task. His worst enemies acknowledge that he faced it in magnificent form last week.

Moroccan Affairs. M. Briand announced to the Chamber that his Government refuses to contemplate at present the signing of peace terms with Abd-el-Krim. Deputies gasped as the Premier calmly admitted that he believes the offer of peace made by Krim through one Captain Gordon Canning (TIME, Jan. 4) to be genuine, thus reversing the Quai d'Orsay's original contention that Captain Canning could not be dealt with because he might be an impostor. The Chamber sat up very straight and pricked its ears as M. Briand went on to imply that France and Spain expect to end the Moroccan war next spring with a complete victory over Abd-el-Krim. Well pleased, Deputies voted another 400 million francs for the expenses of the French troops in Morocco.

*The coalition of the Left parties in the Chamber prior to the period of utter political chaos in which France has weltered of late. Le Cartel existed as a solid bloc which dictated the policy of the Government.