ent on
laboriously through 1912 and 1913.

After the downfall of M. Caillaux, Raymond Poincare became head of a
Cabinet more moderate than its predecessor, the Socialistic Radicals
seeming somewhat discredited in public opinion. M. Poincare was a strong
partisan of proportional representation, and a measure for the
modification of the method of voting was, under his auspices, passed by
the Chamber, though it failed the following year in the Senate.

In foreign affairs, Morocco having dropped into the background, the
Eastern question became acute. Fear lest the conflict in the Orient
should involve the rest of Europe led France to draw again closer to
Russia and England.

CHAPTER X

THE ADMINISTRATION OF RAYMOND POINCARE

February, 1913

M. Fallieres' term expired on February 18, 1913. The two leading
candidates were Raymond Poincare, head of the Ministry, and Jules Pams,
who was supported by the advanced Radicals. M. Poincare's election was
looked upon, because of his personal vigor, as a triumph of sound
conservative republicanism, and it was predicted that he would prove a
strong leader, able to give prestige to the Presidency and to bring
order out of chaos. The early months of his Administration were less
productive of results than had been hoped, but the European War came too
soon to make definitive judgment safe.

After M. Poincare's election, M. Fallieres made M. Briand President of
the Council during the last weeks of his term, and M. Poincare kept the
same Cabinet. M. Briand, like M. Poincare, advocated proportional
representation. As the Chamber failed to take a vigorous position in
support of the measure, and defeated the Ministry on a vote of
confidence, the latter withdrew (March, 1913).

Louis Barthou next became Prime Minister, and the important legislative
measure of the year was the new military law. The Germans having largely
increased their army, it was deemed necessary, in spite of the violent
opposition of the Socialistic Radicals and the Socialists and the
attempts of the syndicalists of the _Confederation generale du travail_
to work up a general strike, to abrogate the Law of 1905 and to return
to three years of military service without exemption. M. Barthou pushed
the three-years bill already supported by the Briand Cabinet. France
took upon herself an enormous financial burden, coupled with a
corresponding loss of productive labor, yet events soon proved the
wisdom of the ste