He opposed the Senate reform demanded by the Socialists, but admitted the possibility of increasing the number of senatorial electors, by adding, for instance, all the Municipal Councillors to the list of voters.
"However, there is some contradiction in demanding the broadening of the senatorial election system—that is, to increase the authority of the assembly in connection with the principle of universal suffrage—and io demand at the same time a reduction in the Senate's prerogatives thus strengthened," he said.
M. Chautemps recalled that the Senate had on different occasions checked both the rightists and the extreme leftists, but stressed that it had voted for the social laws and had constantly upheld certain governments "who had loyally supported the Popular Front."
He stressed that arbitrage by the Government should suffice to smooth down all difficulties between the two Assemblies.
Referring to the right for the President of the Republic to dissolve the Chamber of Deputies, M. Chautemps stressed that if such a critical move were to be made "the only real arbitrage would be that of universal suffrage itself, before which the Senate would undoubtedly bow down."—Havas.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.