The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-06-10
FRANCE WAVES
STEEL fist IN
VELVET GLOVE
Herriot Serves Notice on
Hitler He'll Stand for
No Arrogance.
OFFERS HELP ON DEBTS
Recognizes Germany Is in
Tough Spot, but Wants
PaCtS Preserved.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS
Scripps- Howard Foreign Editor

WASHINGTON, June 10-The
new French government of Premier
Edouard Herriot, internationally
known liberal, likely will be known
as the cabinet of the mailed fist in
side velvet glove.
In his first speech before the
newly elected chamber of deputies
on the banks Of the Seine, he served
notice on the week-old junker
government on the other side of the
Rhine that France stood ready to
discuss any project which, on a
basis Of reciprocity, seems likely to
lead to greater world stability and
peaceful reconciliation.
But at the same time, he warned
Berlin that his government would
take q determined stand against the
violation of treaties and contracts
between nations.
Picks Up Gauntlet
Thus, without naming names or
making his remarks too pointed,
Herriot succeeded in picking up the
gauntlet thrown down by Adolph
Hitler and his nationalist followers
almost certain to take over the
power in Germany without the next
sixty days.
Hitler's program includes wiping
out the Polish corridor, union with
Austria, reputation of reparations
and Scrapping the treaty of Ver-
SALES. Herriot's program is plain
warning that France expects Ger
many to undertake nothing of the
kind
This, however, does not mean
that France and Germany are
hopelessly at odds. They are dam
gerously at odds, but not hopelessly.
Herriot's position is that Germany
first must acknowledge her obliga-
lions under the treaty of Versailles,
the pact of Paris, Young plan and
other commitments to show her
good faith. Whereupon, at Laus-
anne, Geneva and elsewhere, France
will discuss with Germany a WAYS
and means to tighten her load.
To those who wish to understand
what is about to happen at Laus-
anne and in Europe during the next
few weeks, this is a vital point to
remember. 1t furnishes the key to
the attitude of the present French
government.
Admit Seriousness
The Herriot cabinet admits that
the economic situation in Germany
is castrophic; that for the present.
at any rate, she is not able to pay;
that some sort of understanding be-
tween her and France and the other
allies is imperative, and that
France, for her part, is willing to
discuss such an understanding.
On the other hand, France is not
disposed to have IAN arrogant de-
ciSion dictated to her"-the phrase
was coined by former Premier Paul
Palnleve, q Herriot mainland any,
thing smacking of such thing by
Colonel Won Papen, present German
chancellor, or Adolph Hitler, his
likely successor, would, in the YER
nacular, spill the beans.
The presence of the liberal Her.
riot at the helm in France does not,
therefore, lessen the fundamental
danger of the situation. Herriot to-
day is holding out his hand across
the Rhine. On that hand is Silken
glove. But inside the glove the hand
quickly can become a hst of steel,
and whether or not it is thus to be
transformed, depends on what hap
pens in Germany within the next
sixty or ninety days.