Show Weather Vane Government WHEN Y JHEN comparison is made between our form of government and those prevailing overseas overseas overseas over over- seas with their constant cabinet upheavals we ought to be thankful that we have what is so often complained of of-a of a government slow to re respond respond respond re- re spond to shifts in popular feeling Popular fe feeling feel feel- ling l- l ing no matter how widespread and how in intense intense in- in tense may be far more transient than we are arc able to realize ze at the moment Over here we have a chance to cool off and think it over bet be- be t 1 fore plunging into a change we mig might t later re re- re gret Ah Ad An administration has a year four-year term of office and there is no way on earth for the people people peo pea pie to shorten that term n no n matter how greatly they may disagree with the administrations administration's policies In France the situation is just the re re- re verse The government is almost like a weathervane weather weather- weathervane vane compelled to veer about bout in ih obedience to the slight slightest st change in public opinion on penalty penalty pen pen- pen pen- alty of being blown blO down if it fails to do so Since the formation of the Clemenceau cabinet cabinet cabinet cabi cabi- net in 1917 France has had upward of 30 gov gov- s. s A few h have ve lasted as long as two years at a stretch others have lasted only a few days The recent government of Premier nand endured exa exactly three days and 20 hours Herriot once h headed one which fell in I 48 hours A Ii French premier must resign whenever whenever whenever when when- ever he is defeated on onan an important vote in the chamber of deputies That wOl would d be equivalent over here to having a president resign instead of using the veto Installed in the United States the French system would put every president completely at atthe atthe atthe the mercy of congress He could not fight congress congress congress con con- gress for if congress voted him down he would go out of office He could hardly even lead His chief function would be to follow and with the extreme diversity of opinions reflected in any large legislative body is considered it is easy to see that in many cases even this would be impossible |