Evening star., 1934-08-05
BY PERTINAx.

order whatever turn they
may take. make II more interesting
thar ever 10 ascertain whether the
European states which 80 far have
kept clear from great upheavals xill
succeed in strengthening themselves
in ourbing popular discomfort, in
weathering the economic crisis and
enforcing an adequate system Of de-
fense. In that respect the evolution
Of the French people out Of parlis-
Tnentary chaos toward a more eff
cient system Of government deserves
general attention Can satisfactory
progress be recorded--or is there stiIl
danger Of failure?
NJ. CASTOR DoumerRue nov has
been in Office six months. Has ne
succeeded In reiuvenating French
politics7 Is there no danger Of
further violent clashes between a
helpless Parliament and the most
alert part Of public opinion Are
we freed from the risk OF a break
down Of the republican regime2 And
is It reasonable 20 rely upon smooth
and regular functioning Of the gov
ernmental machinery
To these questions there can be only
qualified answer. Premier Dou-
mergue cannot be said to have failed
in his enoeavor. Far from It. He
has succeeded UP TO point but he
has not performed his whole task.
He will have TO struggle all Summer
and through the early Autumn in
order to complete IT, For him the
day of judgment will come in No
vemher or December. when Parlia-
ment reaSsembles after It's long va
cation.
Let us remember first that. on all
counts, reform Is overdue The
lower middle classes, which are the
decisive factor in general elections.
until recently have been used to a
mode OF administration which can
best be described for American read
ers as a kind of Tammany Hall:
it depends upon political patronage
and jobbery on an extended scale.
Such a mode of administration can
be INDUCED In only on the assump-
ton that a wide margin of national
resources and security can be drawn
upon. that there Is no need for the
nation TO concentrate upon a strong
executive enforcing strict discipline
all round.
Power OF Criminals.
On the one hand. that assumption
has been destroyed. On the other
hand, the Stavisky scandal, compli-
Gated as 1t was by the still unex-
planned murder of Paris magistrate,
M. Prince, has shown that as things
stand today, swindlers and gangsters
of the worst kind can override the
central government with the help
OF handful Of well-placed corrupt
politicians.
The continuation of such a state of
affairs (Which was unknown to the
majority of Frenchmen up to last
winter is well-nigh unthinkable
The prestige of the executive author
fly must be re-established and Par
lament barred from interfering with
1t. Sectional and private interests
must be forbidden to take precedence
over national interest. The judiciary.
too, must be placed in an independent
position toward the executive and
legislative branches of government.
Such is the program that M Dou-
mergue is called upon to fulfill If he
lives up TO the expectations which his
advent TO Office set in movement.
So far M Doumergue has done his
best to repair the damage done under
previous regimes. The foreign policy
of France has been given an energetic
impulse. All the European states
which want to safeguard international
peace and by collective preparations
ward of the danger of aggression are
being asked TO cooperate and prepare
for collective resistance. National de-
fense, which had lost some of its eff
cheney through the introduction of
one-year military service, Is being
overhauled. With the return of gen.
eral confidence, public finances are
again being placed upon a satisfactory
basis, as witnessed by the rise of gov
ernmental bonds upon the stock
market.
But at this point the improvement
ends. AS to the economic crisis itself,
the falling of of remunerative produc-
tion--this depends upon monetary
factors and world conditions outside
the range of governmental activity.
Organic Reform Avoided.
Such has been the ground covered
by M. Doumergue. The organic re-
form of republican institutions so far
has been severely let alone. The Dcu-
mergue cabinet has tried hard to
avoid all the abuses that can be laid
TO ministries of the past-with the
possible exception of the department
of the interior. which still is domi-
mated by the old clique. The Dou-
mergue regime has oonformed to a
better standard. However. it has not
passed any measure to force its sue
cesSorS to adhere to its high ideals.
1t is pointed out that. after all. NJ
Doumergue must be left free TO select
his own moment. The opportunity to
act VIII still be open TO him next Oc-
tober he could then force the diSSo-
luton Of the Chamber, rush in a gen.
eral election. secure the return of a
majority composed of moderstes and
make use of it. Immediately after
ward, to initiate legislation that would
abolish forever. in every domain, the
rule of the Radical-Socialist Tam
many Hall Yes, he can move thus
leisurely along that path. But the
question is whether the obstacles to
be surmounted will not have become
more numerous and formidable with
the delay, whether il would not have
been more advisable not to let the
politicians benefit by the respite and
recuperate in power, courage and
daring.
Is NJ. Doumergue endowed with the
personal qualities required for such
work? Nobody csn deny that he pos
sesseS some Of them. but there is some
doubt whether he has the gift of ap-
pealing powerfully to the imagination
Of his fellow citizens. Were the French
community composed, in majority. of
wise, sedate men. trained TO diStin-
guiSh between the achievements that
a statesman can normally perform,
provided he does his duty, and the
wonders that can be brought about
only by a miracle. ! should feel fairly