M. Clemenceau was not, after all, elected President of the
French Republic last Saturday. On the previous day an informal vote of the Senators and Deputies revealed a slight majority for M. Deschanel, whose candidature had been announced at the last moment. Thereupon M. Clemenceau declared that he would not be a candidate, and that, even if elected, he would refuse the Presidency. He probably felt that, unless the representatives of France chose him spontaneously and unanimously out of gratitude for his great services, the honour was not worth having. When he retired, his opponent's elebtion was assured; 734 members out of 884 voted for M. Desohanel, who, as President of -the Chamber for many years past, is a very well known and highly popular figure in French political life without being an active politician. M. Clemenceau resigned office last Sunday and was succeeded as Premier by M. Millerand. The most powerful statesman of modern France has laid down his task. His indomit- able will and his unfailing optimism helped the Allies, and not France only, to pass safely through the dark days of the spring of 1918 and to achieve a victorious peace. We owe a great debt to M. Clemenceau.
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