Evening star., 1924-05-18
NORMALCY'S RETURN
IS SEEN FOR EUROPE
New Parliament of France De.
clared to Be Nearly Same as
Thirty Years Ago.
BY WILLIAM BIRD.
BY Radio to The Star.

By Radio to The Star
PARIS, May 17.-Europe is scrAn-
bling back to normalcy. Frances
elections last Sunday. which have
been widely trumpeted as a complete
reversal of opinion, mean nothing of
the sort
Frances new parliament will be
substantially the same as it was for
twenty years before the war. The
popular vote for the various parties,
indeed, was almost exactly the same
as at the previous election in 1919,
the only difference being that 1t was
new then and the Left parties did
not understand the necessity OF form
ing a coalition. They entered battle
singly and were moved down by the
massed conservatives. This time
they combined and got their normal
quota of seats.
The outgoing chamber of deputies
which held office for four and a half
years. was chiefly remarkable for its
docility. 1t upset only two minis
unless you count as accidental"
upsetting of Poincare a few weeks
ago. OF these Leygues' was mere
stop-gap introduced when Millerand
was promoted to the presidency.
while BRAND was overthrown only
by the treachery Of members of his
own cabinet.
Thus France since the war has not
maintained her reputation for frequent
cabinet crises.
Pre-War Days Recalled.
All that is changed now and the sit
uation recalls pre-war days. The Left,
which triumphed in the elections, con-
sists of two large parties, Socialists
and Radicals, and several smaller
gin that the detection Of any small
| fraction will upset the new govern
ment at any time. The old cabinet
slayer, BRAND, will be in his element,
| conflicting ambitions, and not a sin
| gle one of hrSt-rate parliamentary
| talent. 1t is easily practicable that
cabinet changes will be many and
| frequent.
In foreign relations, beyond the
| rapprochement with the Soviets,
| which most observers agree was in
evitable whatever party came in,
| there will be little change funda-
mentally. Premier Poincare's un-
| confessed, proved generally success
| full, via give away to more flexible
| methods. The new chiefs will ask the
| same things in less imperious tones.
The legend of French Imperialism
is finally laid to rest" is the way one
Paris editor puts it, and he adds that,
| while French foreign policy will re-
| main the same, nevertheless foreign
countries will have greater confidence
| in the sincerity of the statesmen Of
| the Left. Thus when France demands
guarantees OF security against Ger
| man attack foreign countries will not
! at once cry Imperialism or annexa-
| ton.
parties except the extremists is the
| strengthening of the league OF ma
| tions and if any encouragement comes
| from other nations, particularly Eng
| land, this iS on the cards.
1t is considered likely that an agree
ment can quickly be reached for ad-
mitting Germany to the league, as
French conservative opposition has
been the chief obstacle to it In the
past But here the question arfoes as
to whether Germany would come In,
as the nationalists are opposed to
entering unless important modihca-
tions are made first in the treaty OF
Versailles, especially in the clauses
concerning the responsibility for the
war.
AS things stand now, all Europe is
governed by feeble majorities except
Italy. If Mussolini makes up his
mind to do so he can, by reason Of
his impregnable internal situation.
WELD a heavy and perhaps deciding
! influence in European affairs for some
time to come.
Copyright. 1924.l