Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-06
Press Sees Daudet's Escape
AS Plot for 'French Farce

pie laughing at their most active roy
alist."
Americans can hardly conceive"
according to the Schenectady Gazette,
"a political leader defying the police,
then captivating and going to Jail,
and finally escaping through the ruse
of fake telephone call. 1t all smacks
of fiction. Observing such occur
rences, we can understand the better
why some European governments are
so unstable. The people. happy-go-
lucky and tickle, are more ready for
humor than for seriousness. They
prefer play in political life to work.
1t Is not difficult to imagine
novel built around such things as
the Daudet fiasco. But when 1t comes
to real life, we should be skeptical II
it were not that we know the facts"
"A comic sequel to an actual Paris
ian farce is the suggestion Of the
Louisville Courier-Journal, which feels
that the offenses involved are 'imper-
sonating an official, tampering with
the telephone wires and incidentally
making the government ridiculous"
The Courier-Journal adds that "as for
Daudet, he is certain to be heard
from. Even prison would be less on
erous than enforced silence" The
Pittsburgh Sun offers the further COM
ment: ""They are not so serious a men,
ace to society that their being at large
constitutes a danger. Nevertheless.
the French government cannot afford
to brook being tricked and derided in
such a way"
"a feat worthy Of Tartarin himself,
surely" says the Providence Journal.
''even if the son Of Tartarin was not
actively responsible, and one Of the
best of similar escapades in the some
how humorous history of the French.
Louis Napoleon walked out of the
penitentiary Of Ham disguised as
gardener; Edmond Dantes (who was
almost a real person emerged from
his dungeon, lugubriously. in the role
of a corpse; but M. Daudet, with a
suitable modern touch, was whisked
out of durance on the magic fabric Of
Science-a mile of wire and bell
box. Vive les Camelots! They should
emblazon the blue bell Of the tele-
phone system among the lilies and
crowns of their noble banner, and they
should henceforth go into battle, IL
any, chanting some such lyric phrase
as Excuse me, please, you were called
by mistake"
Referring also to French tradition,
the Kansas City Star remarks: Exile
is not such a hard lot for a French
man who can make a considerable
number Of his countrymen believe he
Is being prosecuted. Victor Hugo
capitalized his exile very effectively.
and probably couldn't have been in
duced to go home. Voltaire was an
exile, and the government Of Louis
XIV often wished he wasn't"
OF the situation faced by Poincare.
who probably has been irritated
seriously" as viewed by the Brooklyn
Eagle, that paper says: HE has yet
to deal with the force Of ridicule in
French politics. It Is a fair prophecy
that he will stem the tide, for there
Is no other man to take his place In
the handling of the financial problems
which are vital ones for the French
republic" And the Springfield Re-
publican holds that cit is fortunate
that it occurred while the government,
headed by Poincare, was a 4-rong If
not wholly harmonious co" tion of
nearly all the important g.oups Of
French politics. A less representative
cabinet might easily have been
laughed out Of Office. for Paris, not
fearing the Camelots du Roi, finds
their farces amusing"