The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-11-12
england SAVES
FRANCE HORRORS
OF SYNDICALISM
Writer Says Islands
Conservatism Kept Down
All Anarchy in Paris When
Time Was Ripe.
BY PIERRE

BY PIERRE vALENcE.
PARIS, Nov, IL. (By the Reciprocal
News Service.)-We are all very CRATE
full to England in these days. You
must imagine what would have come.
upon us in France as a result Of any
happenings Of a revolutionary nature
in England. Those forces Of u own l
need very little stimulation from out
side. England has long been our po-
itieal anchor; when three months ago
our s~yndicalists thought the time ripe
for a general strike which was going
to realize for all Europe by Russian
1 methods the social blessings Of Amer
lean prophecy, there were two elements
that saved us from a premature mill
/ lenium. One of them was our own
peasant class whose thrift and diligence
had already appropriated most Of the
great landlords who survived a pre-
vious millennium; being many OF them
still under arms and in large numbers
in Paris, their material and moral
force was in the circumstances decisive.
But affairs might have gone other
wise had the English ~syndicalists by
word and action supported the pre-
tensions of our own. England, II is
true. is the least revolutionary Of all
European countries, but at the same
time she is the most f~ormidably or
ganized for revolution and thus carries
great weight with our people in the
strategy of revolution. lust as last
summer her negative influence was felt,
so in these days might she have precipi-
tated an uprising for which the French
government was quite unprepared. II
England finds the time ripe for revo-
luton, it is overripe for us-to the bar
ricades! would have been the cry.
Therefore, with gratitude to Albion,
we proceed with our plans for a gem
eral election instead Of a general strike,
And truly there is matter serious
enough in the changes that this COM
paratively tame political process may
bring about. While it may be the
boast Of England that her industrial
workers are the most advanced in or
ganization, politically we have today in
France quite the strongest and most
ambitious Socialist party west of the
Rhine and the Alps. Lately this has
been a blessing to us, the political
party having absorbed a great deal OF
energy, since the left wing OF the party
became the majority, which otherwise
would certainly have been directed in
more dangerous channels. But now we
are to see what will be the result of
the greatest political effort the So
cialists have ever made in France. One
may easily overestimate the signifi-
canoe of the almost unanimous vote
which their proposal for disarmament
received in the chamber this week; 1t
was a pious resolution against which
it would AVE offended the conscience
of many moderate citizens to vote.
Nevertheless one must recognize II as
evidence of a most profound change in
political opinion, which six months ago
was a great distance from the express
sion of this recommendation of an in
ternational policy. 1t may be illumi-
mating to Americans to know that a
number of those who voted for this
disarmament resolution were not OBJ
livious Of the United States In SO do
ing; France has no desire to see you
launched upon a competition In naval
building with Britain. The British navy
shielded us from our enemies n saved
us from the shock from which we should
never have recovered; we have no. de-
sire that the course of world events
n should even risk moving in a direction
where our sympathies and interests in
q" such matters could be divided.
One effect the general election is
likely to have which will at least ia
cilitate the understanding Of our ma
tional life abroad. Today the political
texture of our parliament Is most com
pick; 1t consists Of q great variety o.
groups in which political principles ant
the personal influence of leadership PLAY
y valuable parts. / shall not try to ex'
: plain these groups because the mos
interesting fact OF their existence IL
that their days are numbered. Thu
election campaign, scarcely begun, al
ready begins to demonstrate the fusioT
u klOhp6 IAlAc Nih AZ NNIAA SNOb hANtN VI
visions which promise to become three
parties. On the right the remnant o
reactionary monarchist forces are be
ing driven into affiliation with group
nearest akin to them, in particular tn,
clericals. On the left a solid Socialis
and radical block is assured. These de
velopments at both wings are togethe
- exerting sensible pressure upon tn
q moderate groups, including the Repub
= licans in spite Of their tendency towar,
), the right. in a manner which promise
= to produce a solid and very influentia
70 center party, How this will simplif
y our political life may be judged by
v simple enumeration OF the presen
groups, which may be named as fol
- lows: Unified Socialists, Socialist Radi
1. Gals, Socialist Republicans, Independ
ents, Radicals, Republican-Radicals
Republican-Democrats Left-Republi
cans, Right Republicans, Republican
Radical Socialist Union, Liberals
Right Group, Royalists and Clericals
Given such a reorganization Of group
into three great parties in the cham
w Der of today, the center party woul
strongly predominant. But 1t car no
be denied that the Socialists have som
a. foundation for their claim that a gen
o. eral election, particularly now that tn
aNpeace treaty has been ratified, WI
:. Fgreatly add to their strength. The
ne car count on increased support in tn
r. country on one condition. and a con
,h dition which seems to be recognize,
in the Socialist strategy of the moment
of that Is to say, the silencing Of thos
forces which seek to call the Socialis
m army to the banner of direct action
n The theater strike and that of the stabl
boys, although they figure PROMINENT.
k, in the newspapers Of the city. and ma.
be have a passing interest for ourselve
IN and visiting Americans, have no pc
litical significance Of this kind. Thes
are merely affairs of the boulevard
and even If the b%oulevards still rul
Paris, it is a long. time since Pari
az ruled france. Thousands of your gal
"a liant soldiers of France must have dis
abused the American MIND Of a pre-
conception not uncommon to it tina
~ Paris was France. 1t was, but II Is n
h. longer-and at no time less so thar o
- the eve of a general election.
~, As I close, the demand of a sectio
~, of the railwaymen for 100 per cent in
as crease Of wages comes to my knowledge
." 1t is a sectional demand. however, an
| do not foresee that the labor con
federation will adopt 1t. Should 1t d
II" so there would be an END Of Socialis
electoral aspirations and things nigh
~ move with unprecedented swiftness; fo
~ the confederation could not take sue
=, action unless the die had been cas-
for direct action and to the devil wit
the elections, a policy not in accord
- ance with the present relations betwee