Evening star., 1934-02-07
WEYGAND IS SEEN
POSSIBLE PREMIER
Discomfort in French Army
Grows as Result of
Order to Fire.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.
The grumblings in the ranks of the
French army because they were
) forced to perform a dirty job last
night, Is forcing President Albert Le
brun to seek a successor to Edouard
Daladier, who resigned this morning.
following his ill-advised decision of
last night to open fire on the crowd
which had gathered in the Place de la
Concorde
The name of Gen. Maxine Wey-
eand, chief of staff of the French
army, is again prominently men
toned. Many believed he is the only
man in France in a position to re-
store order.
The danger Of discomfort in the
army Is far more serious than last
nights outbreaks in Paris and in GER
tain parts of the provinces.
Feel Situation Bungled.
The French army is well disciplined
and a stanch supporter of the Re-
public. 1t obeys orders, but it has
become doubtful whether the officers
themselves will be willing to be in
scenes.
The officers, it is reported, feel that
the situation was badly bungled, and
that the civilians at the head Of the
government have lost their heads.
Bringing out several battalions OF
tanks, it is said, would have been
more than sufficient to deal with the
situation and would have caused
minimum of bloodshed. The un-
armed and defenceless civilians could
not have withstood the slow move
ment Of heavy tanks.
There is no question: in spite OF the
so-called Royalist manifestations. Of
change of the republican form OF
government in France into mon
archy. Neither the vast majority OF
the population nor the army Is IN
sympathy with such an idea. AS
matter Of fact the Royalists have no
one to bring forth as a potential ruler.
Doumergue Out 10 Years.
The refusal of Castor Doumergue.
former President of France to accept
the formation OF a government of
his own choice is interpreted here as
q distinct sign Of the gravity of the
situation in France.
Doumergue is an aStute politician
who has kept out Of Frances political
affairs for the last 10 years.
He Is one of the few leading men
In Frances political life who has not
had his name tarnished. Under nor
NAL circumstances, he would not have
hesitated to accept the premiership.
But he apparently realizes that this is
not the time for a stop-gap govern
ment and refuses to become entangled
In an adventure which may have dis
aStriouS consequences.
There are no other men among the
French politicians who could assume
the responsibility of forming gov
eminent today.
Order Depends on Lebrun.
The Senators are all weak and nee
essarily unwilling to assume power in
the midst of a revolt, while members
Of the Chamber who might be eligible
for the premiership are either directly
or indirectly mixed up in the many
political and financial scandals Of the
last few years.
The re-establishment OF law and
order In France depends on how
quickly and energetically Premier
Lebrun can act.
It IS because nobody can see any
civilian with sufficient strength and
prestige with the masses and with
the army capable of forming new
government, that the general belief
Of foreign observers in Paris IS that
President Lebrum will be compelled
to appeal to an army man.
It Is expected that President Lebrun
will be compelled to dissolve the
chamber, suspend the existing con-
stituttonal rights pending the resto-
ration Of order and agree to declara-
ton OF general martial law in France
The French revolution. unless 1t Is
quelled Immediately, is likely to have
most far-reaching international con-
sequences and It Is mainly for this
reason that all foreign governments
are intensely interested in its develop
nent.
Whatever disagreement may have
existed in the United States, in Great
Britain and In Italy with the French
stand on disarmament and the Treaty
Of Versailles. there Is no doubt, 1t was
France did represent force which
stood for the maintenance Of order
In Europe.
France and her allies represented
sons 120 100000 people whose inter-
est was tt.e maintenance OF peace.
II the French cannot suppress the
incipient revolution there is serious
danger that their accolytes might
hreok ourov and nohOdV can fOreSee
what may happen in Europe.
The situation is rendered still more
dangerous by the fact that the trou-
bles In France has occurred at the
time when Austria IS near becoming
. Fascist state, and its reunion to
Germany. which might have been re-
tarded had France been free from
internal troubles, is becoming now an
inevitable fact.