The French Government
The new French Government under M. Steeg had a narrow escape at their first meeting with the Chamber on Thursday, December 18th. They got a majority of only seven on a vote of confidence. Yet in the circum- stances that was something not far short of a triumph. Many shrewd judges had prophesied that the Government could not face the Chamber at all. Between the com- pletion of the Cabinet and the opening debate no fewer than five Ministers resigned. This was taken as an omen that the ship was certain to founder. When the five Ministers hinted that they might not be able to remain members of the Government very long, M. Steeg with perfect calm pointed out that it would be better for them to resign soon rather than late. He stoically faced the Chamber five Ministers short. Nothing like this has ever happened before and as he had a policy not unlike that of M. Chautemps—and had to rely upon the same groups for support—nothing seemed more probable than that he would fall, like M. Chautemps, in the first encounter.
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