The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-08-12
FRANCE FACING
DICTATORSHIP
OF RIGHT WING
Unrest Due to Economic
Troubles Threatens
Democracy.

BIZ Scripps- H0irGrd Newspaper AUinHcs
WASHINGTON. Aug. l2.-France
one of the three remaining great
democracies. along with America
and Britain-faceS the threat of a
dictatorship of the right.
Unrest. for the most part due to
economic difficulties. is spreading
throughout the country Strikes
and disorders are increasing as
Premier Pierre Laval struggles to
balance his budget and cut the cost
Of living.
An alternative is devaluation OF
the franc. That. in turn. would
almost certainly precipitate crisis
of serious proportions B eing
thrifty. most Frenchmen have put
away at least some savings in their
famous wooden stocking Having
already seen these shrink TO 80 per
cent of their former value. they
would seriously resent another loss.
The present difficulties in France
are an aftermath of the ministerial
crisis of last June Thhen one cab
met after another fell in an effort
to save the franc" by trimming
the cost of government. Now work
ers are again striking rather than
accept cuts.
Higher Taxes, Lower Expenses
Yet cuts are imperative. in the
opinion of Paris. if the budget is to
be set Alright and the franc spared
devaluation. Only drastic decreases
in expenses and increases in taxa
ton. Premier Laval told the cham
Der of Deputies, could save the
situation.
To the utter disregard of his per-
Sonal political fortunes he has been
slashing right and left. All gov
eminent employees, and groups even
remotely connected Herewith. have
suffered reductions. Even those re-
ceiving less than $500 a year we're
cut. Civil and military pensions
were pared. and owners of govern
ment bonds asked to accept less
interest.
At the same time living costs are
being attacked. Rentals are ordered
down. Also the price of bread, and
so on. The net result, of course. is
that most everybody in FraSca has
tec.l asked &c maze sacrifices. All
have been hit, one way or another
workers, bondholders. merchants.
farmers, property owners, indus
trialiStS. exporters.
Refuse to Leave Gold
Frances insistence upon remain
ing on gold likewise has hurt many.
Her chief customers being off gold.
French exports have dropped.
British pounds and American dol
lars do not go far when translated
into francs Tourists, one of the
country's most important indus
tries" are conspicuous mostly by
their absence. Many clamor for
cheaper francs.
So France is suffering a compare
tive depression. More people are
unemployed. Pay tends to dwindle.
| Living costs are hard to bring
down. And the drastic remedies
the government is forced to employ
are, in themselves, unpopular.
Such are the high spots of
Frances predicament Watching
like hawks. ready to exploit any
governmental weakness, are half
dozen powerful organizations - the
Croix De Feu Gross of Fire,
Camelots du Roi (King's Hench-
mem; Solidarite Francaise, Jeun-
esse Franchise French YOUTH,
Federation of Ex-combatants, So
cialiStS and Communists.
OF these the most effective, per-
haps, is the Croix de Ecu. It is OF
Fascist mold. Col. De la ROGUE is
it's head a war veteran with nu-
merous decorations for valor in
action.