Evening star., 1934-04-29

against the government. There are
ample indications that the struggle
will be between the Royalists, Reac-
tionarieS and Croix de Feu on one
side and the Communists, Socialists
and Workers on the other. The Left
groups will stand by the government
to prevent 1t falling into the hands
of those desiring a dictatorship. Even
should coup detat be successful in
Paris, the country probably would boy
colt economically. or blockade the
capital.
Socialists Have Learned Lesson.
The French Socialists have taken
the lesson of Vienna to heart. They
have seen the Socialists of Italy and
Germany wiped out, and those in
Spain badly beaten. From Herriot's
moderates, through Marguets neo-
Socialists down to Leon Blums So
cialists, they will stand together
against common enemy. The Blum
faction has even made a rapproche-
ment with the Communists as was in
dicated in the last general strike. The
demonstrations which are scheduled
for May l will indicate the strength
of the proletariat and show the
Doumergue Cabinet how far to the
right it may safely go.
There is one development-wide-
spread in the provinces-which counts
heavily in the favor of the govern
ment. That is general approval of
Foreign Minister Louis Barthou's
German policy. The French people,
as whole, are pacif1sts. They do not
want war. They will not consent to
any military adventures against Ger
many even if it is established that the
Nazis are rearming and violating the
versailles Treaty. A so-called pre-
ventative war" is out of question. But
II there Is danger of France being
invaded. the people will rise to a man
for the defense of La Patrie.
The country believed in the BRAND
policy of conciliation and appease-
ment. They even believe that the
failure of succeeding statesmen to con-
tlnue that policy caused the downfall
OF the German Republic. But now
that the Hitlerites have come into
power they are convinced that a.
Wlshy-washy foreign policy is wrong.
They believe in a strong national de-
tense as the best guarantee of peace
and are willing to make most any
sacrifices to maintain it.
Depression Causing Concern.
The economic depression. which is
gradually deepening in the cities, IS
causing concern. International trade
is slowing down and tourist traffic is
dead. People are beginning to worry
over the future of the franc. The de-
preston. which Is spreading to the
country also IS cause for discomfort.
The cost of living is 87.6 per cent of
what it was in 1880 in the rural dis
tricts but much higher in the cities.
Bread fer example, still sells at 2
francs twelve cents for two pounds)
per kilogram despite the fact that the
price Of wheat, fixed by parliament
for the farmer at 1913 francs per quin-
tai Of wheat, has dropped to between
80 and 90 francs. Similar diScrepan-
cies exist in respect to other "neces-
sites" Usually immune from unem-
ployment the rural districts now have
to absorb thousands of unemployed
from the cities who are returning to
their provincial homes. AS result
France has forbidden the entrance of
alien labor-Italian, Pole and Ger
man-which yearly comes for the
harvest season. The farms are absorb
ing the surplus city unemployed, ex-
cept where artisans are concerned.
But even at that there are around
100000 unemployed today.
The deflation policy of the govern
ment-which is just the contrary Of
the price raising tactics employed in
England and the United States-is ex-
pected to bring hardships particularly
to the farmers and workers, as well
as small shopkeepers. These classes
make up the largest part of the ma
tion's population.
As whole the people of the prov
inces do not see. the remedy for ex-
isting evils in q change in the form
of government. They have, thus far,
confidence in Premier Doumergue,
who came out of retirement reluc-
tantly pour Ia France" They are
ready to give him fair trial. After
all, he is one of them.
The attitude, in general, of the ma
ton at the moment is negative-one
of watchful waiting. While discon-
tented they are by no means des-
perate. The positive programs of the
so-called Fascists and Reactionaries
do not appeal to them. Provincial
France expects to find the needed
remedies in old and tried institutions
and to the people the French Republic