The French Chamber is to be dissolved at once, and
the new elections will be held about August 21st. This is rather a sudden notice on the part of the French Government. The date originally fixed upon and generally known to the country for the election was September 14th, and M. Clemencean, maintain- ing that the change of date was a discreditable electioneering manceuvre, on Tuesday moved an order of the day embodying a censure of the change. The Government gained a majority, but a very narrow one, only 13 votes,-214 voting for the simple order of the day, and 201 for M. Clemenceau's cen-
sure. The minority, besides containing the Reactionary Party, included no less than 81 Members of one or other of the divisions of the Left ; while 73 Republicans abstained from voting, and 44 were not in the Chamber. This change of pur- pose by the Government is attributed to a wish to get the elec- tions over before the campaign in North Africa can begiu again. It is feared that early in September, when the heat begins to decline, a considerable force may have to be sent to North Africa to reduce the insurgent Arabs, and that such an expedition may be very unpopular with the French peasantry, and lessen the number of Republican votes. The peasants do not like all this military attitudinising in Africa, and it is thought better to get the ballot-boxes safely filled and emptied, before the French peasant has quite taken in what it all means.
Previous page
