Evening star., 1925-05-26
FRANCE At CRISIS
!! ON MAJOR ISSUES
Divided Chamber Faces Her.
Culean Tasks, Tardleu
Declares.
BY ANDRE TARDIEU.


ny Radio 10 The Star.
PARIS, May 26.-The French
Chambers have reaSsembled with
plenty to occupy them.
The 1925 budget has not yet been
voted and it is not even near being
voted.
The Moroccan operations were pre-
pared too late, demanding an i'm
portant military effort.
The interallied debt question. after
many lost years, enters the positive
phase of settlement
The defaults declared by the allied
control commission of German dis
armament, publication of which has
been awaited since the end of Decem-
Der, are the objects of negotiations
between Paris and London, the sub
stance of which IS unknown and the
siowness of which is surprising.
Tied With Security Pact.
These negotiations are connected
by more than one tie with others of
series of conversat lions relative to
the famous security pact, which, pre-
pared as 1t is, will not give anybody
real security even if it is concluded.
If to these actuaIities is added that
of general financial policy, which it is
impossible to discuss before the bal
anced budget is voted, it must be ad
mitted that the French government
and Parliament are passing through a
hurdened Spring toward an anxious
Summer.
Nearly all OF these problems would
be much simpler today if France had
resisted the illusion that postpone
mcnt would settle them. The cartel
of the Left. since it has been in power.
has not helped progress toward solu-
ton. But the block National, which,
was in power in the four years pre-
ceding, did not set it good example.
The budget would have been easier
to balance five years ago.
The Moroccan unrest was caused
not only by the Spanish defeat
but also by the pro-Turk policy of
BRAND and Poincaire in 1922 and
Herriot's Soviet policy in 1924.
Debt Problem Difficult
Consolidation of American and Eng
liSh debts would have been less diff
cult in Bonar Laws time and before
Senator Borah made his latest declara-
lions.
The German disarmament negotia-
tons, which Hinderburgs election
does not simplify, are complicated be
cause they We're given up after the
beginning of the Ruhr occupation.
Perpetual requests by Germany for d
security pact show lack of dignity
OF which France was not guilty after
the defeat of 1871 when she waited
for more than 20 years in Isolation
until an alliance was sought after.
AT that time, before demanding for
eign support, France trusted in ap-
plication to work and the development
of her resources.
But nothing is more vain than TO de
plore Yesterdays mistakes. Today IL
is necessary to construct on ground
less firm what should have been con
Structed yesterday. Whatever govern
lnent is in power, it needs therefore,
at least, relative stability, but the sit
uation of the chamber seems precari-
Gus.
Extremists Exacting
The writer already has stated that !
the municipal elections marked sue
cess for the Left as we'll as the Com |
muniSt participation in the electoral |
combinations of the cartel. Conse- |
quently the extreme elements of the |,
latter, encouraged by their incontest- |
able victory, have become more exact !
ing. Not only do they reproach the |
government for maintaining the Nati- |
can embassy, and new taxes, but they |
are beginning to reproach 1t for events |
in Morocco.
Under these conditions the Painleve |
cabinet may be deprived of a part of
ITS majority, Wnlch VIII De turned TO- |
ward Edouard Herriot, whose return |
to power they desire,
The opposition, in turn, is divided
between two tendencies; one, following |
NJ. Millerand, is disposed to vote for
The government; the other, inspired by |
NJ. Poincare, prefers to vote against |
sit.
All this is paradoXical and proves
again the lack of ideas among the |
nd nf Sorin llSG in !
men. who are leading it in 1926 after !
having been beaten in 1924. What will
be the result?
The writer is not a prophet. But one
thing is certain, and that is that
France is entering into period which
will be advantageous if led vigorously, !
but fraught with difficulties which 1t
will require intelligence and, still
more, character 10 meet.
Copyright, 1925