Evening star., 1936-08-17

lightly But he is serious. Even II at
the outset he was just another oppor-
tunist, he is no longer that He actu>
ally has converted himself, as he is
converting thousands of yound and
middle-aged Frenchmen.
Doriot in action is worth seeing.
He is tall and powerful. His booming
voice needs no amplifers, and there
is no doubt that his hands are the
most expressive ever seen. He talks
with them better and more convinc-
ingly than with his voice. One ought
to see those huge, knotty hands
slashing the air. strangling unseen
opponents. setting up a new and
happy republic. Even if you don't
hear him you understand what he
says by following the most loquacious
hands in the history of French poll
tics.
Doriot Man Of Action.
Doriot is a man of action. There
is nothing dainty about him. He
has no drawing room manners. He
takes off his coat when he starts
speaking, then his vest, then, as I
saw him at the last public meeting,
he tore off his suspenders in the
excitement Of his oratory. He gets
drunk with his own words. And the
crowds are certainly responsive.
When he mixes the Soviet insidious-
ness with the German and Italian
turbulence and adds a mild season.
ing of the irresponsible stupidity OF
the present government" and serves
it hot his followers arise from their
seats and sing the "MarSeillaise.
At home, in his modest apartment
above a saloon, where he and his
young wife live, he is mild and agree
able to talk to. He realizes that one
man, even a newspaper man, is not
crowd. He seems sincere and rea-
sonable. "The world" he says, lis
changing rapidly. This is the epoch
of the young men. The old ones are
all tarred; they are cynical; they do
not see the interests of the people
beyond their own. They belong to
generation which cannot conceive
that there has been radical change
in the psychology of the masses.
Their conception of the present-day
economic and social problems is the
conception of the pre-war era. Some
of them call themselves Socialists,
others Democrats, others conserva-
tives, but they really are all alike.
And people won't stand for this po-
litical hallyhoo any longer. 1t may
be necessary to use force to eradicate
the abscess every nation is suffering
from-the old school politician. But
he is doomed and nothing will save
him"
OF course, at the public gather
ing he talks about his party coming
into power. Privately, he admits
that there will have to be number
of compromises, a number of changes
before the young men can get hold
of power. He and Bergery are op-
posing each other. Their tempera-
ments and their education are so
totally different. One is a rough
man rising from the masses who has
worked with his own hands and has
known privations and prison. The
other is an intellectual, used to nice
dinners and a comfortable home, to
automobiles of his own and Turkish
baths three times a week. Yet, just
because they are so different indi-
vidually they may meet and join
forces before long.
Internal Crisis Held Inevitable.
II an international crisis does not
arise before next Fall, there is no
doubt that they will have heavy
hammering after October /. An in
ternal crisis Is inevitable. The pres
ent government will depreciate the
franc Nobody doubts that any long
er But the imitation will come too
late. Whether there is imitation or
not, Blum's days are numbered. He
can maintain himself in power at the
present moment because the Com
munists and the radicals do not want
a change yet. But If Blum, follow
ing the request Of all the business
men and the industrialists in France,
decided no longer TO defend the franc,
the "a Communists viii vote against