The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-02-09
Men and Affairs


have on the public mind Is Demon
strated by the ascension to power in
France Of CASTOR Doumergue, an old
warhorse in our sister republic who
thought his active days were over.
A man of outstanding ability, the
French had heaped him with honors.
He had served in many important
posts and a close had been brought
to his career when he stepped down
from the presidency.
Not rich man, he retired to his
farm home and there remained.
About year ago, he became the
beneficiary Of windfall when he was
appointed a director OF the Suez
Canal corporation. a job which does
not require much work and which
paid him about $4,000 a year. Past
20, he looked forward to spending the
remainder Of his days in peace and
quiet.
Then came the Stavisky scandal,
the downfall of two cabinets in sue
cession, rioting and bloodshed in the
streets OF Paris. The republic was
dangerously near collapse. What
would happen no one knew.
The attitude Of the people can be
Judged from the goings-on in the
chamber Of deputies. One report Of
the session which saw Daladier re-
ceive three votes Of confidence just
before his resignation, thus depicts
the scene after the premier. because
of the confusion, had refused to an
swer questions from the floor:
The legislators went wild.
Some shouted "Fascismw 9th
ers sang the Communist hymn,
"The Internationale'
The bedlam broke loose when
Andre Tardieu, former premier
and one of the leaders Of the OPP
position to Daladier, mounted the
rOStrum to speak.
The deputies slammed the tops
Of their desks, pounded with
books and fists, and roared cpl.
thetS at one another.
With such a situation In the ma
TONS greatest deliberative body is it
any wonder that the police were un-
able to control the crowds In the
streets?
Onto the scene which had but
lately seen such demonstrations, came
this aged Cincinnatus, called from
the pillow just as the first Roman die
tator was summoned.
The effect was magical. The crowds
In the streets acclaimed him, just as
they had condemned Daladier and
Sarraut. The public attitude gave
him vote OF confidence before the
parliament was asked to do 50. A
situation which had seemed fraught
with power to shake the very foun-
dations of the nation cleared appre-
ciably. Doumergue will have q
chance to lead France out Of her
troubles.
He Is q long way from having
scored q success. Political pickering
of . bitterness unknown in America
still reigns. Personal animosities and
jealousies have not been adjusted.
Many an ego must be debated and
many q politician be banished to OBJ
livion before success can be achieved.
But the possibility for success ex-
lists. That this is SO is a tribute to
the essential hard-headedness Of the
French people. They are mercurial
and hot-headed, but before the last
ditch = reached they usually take
time out for q little clear thinking
and a restoration Of their perspective.
This appears to be the case now.
It Is possible that some cherished
policies may be thrown overheard, for
France has been attempting to lift
herself BY her own bootstraps. as
America did for so long. But what
ever the methods Doumergue may
adopt, there seems q much greater
chance Of them proving successful
than was to be the case q few days
ago.