Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-10
FRENCH POLITICAL STRIFE
BLOW TO SOCIALIST CAUSE
Unmasking of Leaders as Deserters OF
Proletarian Tenets to Have Far-Reach-
ing Effect in Parliamentary Election.

Manifestly this is no new discovery in
politics. but it comes nevertheless as
shock to the mass of the Socialist cleo
torate Already the country is thinking
of the parliamentary elections early
next year, and up to the present the
Socialist prospects had seemed rosy
They had seemed all the roster because
a methodical electoral campaign had
been winning for them many by-elec-
tiors, eliminating this week in a tie
between the Socialists and the Radicals
as the most numerous party in the
Chamber of Deputies. Hence, the So
cialists were beginning to see the day
looming when force of numbers would
compel the chief particularly
if Aristide BRAND, left winger, Is
elected President next Wednesday-to
call on them to form the first Socialist
cabinet in France.
New Leaders Arose.
The early Socialist leaders in France
were fanatics, recruited either from the
laboring class or from doctrinaire INTEL
lectuals who wore threadbare coats and
lived on frugal fare pending the advent
of proletar1at rule. AS years passed
these leaders disappeared, to be sue
ceeded by professional men, lawyers
and professors for the most part, VINO
continued the imprisoned oratory, out
who did not renounce the fieshpotS OF
the bourgeoisie. While they spoke or
wrote of the redistribution CT wealth,
they became owners OF real estate ana
collected antique silver.
This contradiction between words
and actions was well known to the
opponents of socialism, but for many
years there had been a sort OF gentie-
mans agreement whereby personalities
were kept out of political polemlcs.
Now the truce has been broken ana the
Socialist leaders stand aghast.
The Socialists were dumbfoundeo
when a minister stood up in the Cham
Der of Deputies and said, in erect:
"Ycu Socialists are the worst hypo-
critics. In your public speeches you eat
up the capitalist bourgeois, but IN phi
vate life you eat up the capltaliSt
bourgeois fine dinners. Publicly you
enlist popular support by insisting that
the BOURGEOIS state is corrupt to the core;
privately you beg for all you can get
from that corrupt state. Socialist at
torneys accept fat fees to defend cap
italistic clients. Socialist legislators
are among the most inSistent in their
assaults on the treasury; they consider
the pork barrel as their particular
peruuisite and they want governmental
jobs-corrupt government lopS-4or al
their relatives and friends"
FIandin Attacks.
The man who made this onslaught
was Pierre Etienne Flandin, minister OF
finance in the Laval cabinet, whom the
Socialists had made the particular
target of their attacks, alleging that In
his official capacity he had favored
private interests, his own and those OF
his friends. M. Flandin did not adopt
the defensive. Instead he dashed out.
And the CONSERVATION was great In the
Socialist camp.
Socialist chances at the next cleo
lions, which were favored by the ever
increasing cost of living and by unem-
ployment, have been dashed, and the
next chamber is likely to be without a
number of the Socialists who sit there
today.
Consequently, the moderates among
the Socialists are wondering whether
personal interest does not suggest bolt
ing the party in order to attain cabinet
rank in some bourgeois government.
Paul Boncour, for instance. has been
for years preparing himself for the
ministry of foreign affairs, while Pierre
Renaudel has been qualifying for the
air min.stry1 Boncour has long been
hesiating on Secedipg from the party.