New-York tribune., 1918-06-27
By Caspar Whitney

1 AXIS, May 25. - Although many
IN France, US elsewhere, believe
In the broader Socialist prin-
clples. Socialism in it's narrow sense and
the Socialist party as such have slight
lnnuence and cut no serious figure in
french political life to-day.
One hears Of it in public life only
occasionally when Deputy member
tries unsuccessfu]ly to spring debate
on side issue Of the main beat-the-
hochc question which holds the Cham
oers attention, or sends some carping
shaft at Clemenceau-France's vibrant
"ar-to-a-finish champion IL as certain
llttle politicians in and out Of the
Socialist party are ever ready to do
or when the notorious Longuet,
minority leader, breaks loose in his
Ialiliilar manner IN one or another Of
'he irresponsible Paris newspapers.
=, All French thought, including that of
the majority of the Socialists them
selves, is directed upon saving France
from the Hun. "First we must win
the war in order to live," said one to
me the other day, "and after we may
philosophize."
Division of
Socialist Party
Speaking of the Socialist party per
Sc, it consists of the Majority, Centre
and Left, or Minority, groups.
Albert Thomas has been leader Of
the Majority and is the most widely
known Socialist of France since
Jaures (who was man of stronger
character and of greater force in tho
party, though in the eyes of the gen.
eral public his stature has shrunk
somewhat owing to his ever and too
apparent endeavors to carry water on
both shoulders, so to say.
The consensus of conservative. not
unfrlendlv opinion of Thomas is that
he is man of honest intent and per
sonal convictions, but lacking the
courage OF those convictions to give
him real leadership and therefore
make of him a dominant figure in the
Socialist world. He has the ambition
TO be such markedly. He has the
WISH to be statesman, but his mind
and his course are those of the party
leader who follows the standard Of
the majority.
keep his party intact that he really
neither leads nor does himself Justice.
At the outset of the war he wanted
to join all wings of the party and de-
clare for national policy-a strong
and patriotic thing to have done and
one which would have placed him high
in the estimate of the world-but be-
ing opposed he promptly forsook his
principles and Joined the procession
instead of maintaining a place in the
van of nationalism.
Weakness in Effort
To Hold Leadership q
His anxiety to retain this "leader.
ship" and to hold the party together
at almost any. cost constitute His
Gently proposed Stockholm Socialis,
conference with the Germans and his
failure to join the majority group
which on May II last sent a letter
to the visiting American Mission ir
Paris indorsing the repeated publit
announcement that the mission had
made while here that there should be
"no parleying with Germans until after
the war" indicating personal inclina
tion which pleased neither the public
nor considerable numbers OF the ma
jority Socialists.
At the moment the public is think
ing more of Alexandra Varenne. who
heading forty out of the one hundred
Socialist members Of Parliament, de.
clared their support of the American
MISSIONS attitude on Conversations
with the Germans, in the following
words:
GAS for the German Social Democ.
racy, it appears to US less than ever
worthy to figure in general confer
ance. Not only has it not replied to
the preliminary questions asked by us
but it has allowed to be committed, if
it has not helped to commit, at Brest-
Llto, SIX a new crime of violence. 1t
has approved the violation of Belgian
neutrality. It has allowed Russian
democracy to be crushed without pro-
test With such men and in such con-
ditions conversation is impossible"
Such were the sentiments to which