Evening star., 1924-12-14
FRANCES RED MENACE
HAS NOT YET PASSED
Government Watches Closely, But Her.
riot Is Likened to Temporizing
Kerensky in Russia.

Premier Herriot, who appeared In
the chamber of deputies during tho
past week, sought to reassure the
people of the country that there was
no real danger and that the govern
ment would use every one of the in
struments at hand in suppressing ef-
forts toward further Communistic up
heavals.I He obtained a vote of con-
/ fidence. the 20 Communist members
of the chamber alone opposing him.
Premier in Bad Positt>~.
Incidentally, during his assault
upon the Communists the premier
jockeyed himself into an unenviable
position when he declared that the
Communist menace was no greater
than the clerical revolution being
waged against the governments at
tempt to resist churchly interference
in affairs of state. Herriot's action
in this regard wins the undying sup
port of the Socialists, who are COM
mitted to such policies and who
maintain him in power. but he has
initiated a series of clerical demon
strations all over the country at a
moment when all of the forces in
favor of perpetuation of present
principles of government should be
united in the common cause against
Communism. The clericals have been
able to WOO support from the people
everywhere and several semi-po-
litical organizations are enabled to
strengthen their forces against Her
riot
The preponderant sympathy of peo-
pie or France is pro-church, and it
is question as to how far-reaching
this influence will be felt by members
of Parliament, regardless of party, in
opposing the premier in future
crises.
Where Herriot would get united
support in case Of actual red perils.
1t is questionable how he will sue
ceed in, combating at the same time
the two so-called revolutions which
ne visions Communist effort always
has been directed in splitting the
forces of the enemy in order to take
advantage of the psychological mo-
ment in furthering its own ends, and
II the reds do not avail themselves
OF their present opportunities in
france it will be because the Com
munists of France are not in suf
hcient numbers ever to warrant seri-
out attempts at civil strife.
See Weakened Red Forces,
Conservative thinkers of France
nave expressed themselves as seeing
no great immediate peril, and believe
that the setbacks suffered bv the
communists in Germany and England
and the iron hand preventing their
activities in Italy will so reduce
| the hopes of French Communists as
10 cause them to desist in their pres
ent efforts, but the merits OF this
view remain to be proven in view of
the fact that Communist leaders of
nigh and low degree have hinted mys-
terlouSly of great events on Derem
| Der Is. If revolutionary outbreak
is Planned for this date it may be
expected that the French government
knows all about it at this very mo-
ment and is preparing for any emer-
gency.
Whatever the strength of the Com
munists of France, whatever the atti-.
tude and diligence of the government
II is we'll known that Moscow is fur
thering the effort to overthrow the
republic, and extreme caution will
nave to be exercised in every direc-
ton until 1t is absolutely proven that
the Communists offer no reaf DANCE.