Evening star., 1936-04-12
FRENCH SHIFT TO LEFT
LOOMS In COMING VOTE
Hitler's Influence Is Expected to Solid
ifv Parties. However. in Favor of
Strong National Defense.

LFle slightest COmpulSlOn II an ODpOT-
tunity presented itself. Their political
dream is the dismemberment of Ger
many into small provincial entities
East Prussia, Bavaria, a Rhineland
republic. an autonomous Saargebiet,
etc. Their military and strategic goal
is a Franco-German frontier on the
Rhine That would be easily defended
and a great source Of security to
France and Belgium.
Deflation Impossible.
AS for the fate of the gold bloc.
The franc is tottering. The recent
extension of the borrowing power Of
the government in reality is an infia-
tionary step. Def1ation through low
ering prices, salaries, balancing the
budget, etc., has proved impossible.
Unemployment is growing and COM
merce is at a standstill The tourist
trade which at one time brought IA
900 900 900 francs into the country has
shrunk to a mere 1000, 100000. In
dustry is stagnant and both exports
and imports are declining. While
every party promises to protect the
franc" they make no promises as to
how this is TO be done The Socialists
and Communists probably will do it
through revaluation. which in fact
would be imitation. The Conservatives
naturally would remain on the gold
standard Indefinitely, hoping that in
ternational stabilization soon will be
here.
If the French franc collapses it will
drag with it the Dutch guilder, the
Swiss franc and other currencies such
as the Belgian franc, Czech crown,
Italian Ira and Polish zloty, which are
tied to it rather than to the dollar
sterling group. The repercussions in
all European countries will be severe II
the franc slips-which is inevitable.
Even the gold parity of the dollar and
British pound will be affected.
The future development Of tie
League Of Nations is an extremely i'm
portant matter for Europe, and even
for the world at large. The Geneva
institution has faced some severe
crises the past two years; its very eX-
istence, as it is now constituted, Is at
stake Will it degenerate into an in
ternational debating club or will it be-
come sort of super state" charged
with administering collective security
among its members. Britain and
| France almost broke over imposing
sanctions upon Italy. Downing Street
j. applied the screws and forced France
g. ariG hnr 70 rr,;tl Hi1ccn1it1i
when war threatened in the Mediter-
ranean. Premier Laval went along re-
luctantly, although since the inception
of the League the French people have
favored making the Covenant real
force by giving it teeth. Then the
tables we're turned. England today is
giving the French some Of their own
medicine. Parliament's reluctance to
march with France against Hitler Is
motivated more through resentment
against the lukewarm policy Of the
Quai d'Orsay in the Italo-Ethiopian
affair than because of love for the
German Nazis.
Left Wing Leans to Britain.
The Left Wing parties in France are
for strong Franco-BritiSh entent re-
gardless of the direction it takes.
They also favor wholehearted support
of the League. The presence Of Soviet
Russia at the Council table and the
ratification Of the Franco-RuSSian
military pact has brought the power
full French Communist group into
good standing. A Socialist Communist
cabinet under the joint direction Of
Leon Blum, Edouard Herriot and Com
munist leaders is within the realms Of
possibility-and probability-if there
Is a Left landslide in the elections.
To say that democracy in Europe is
an issue is not to exaggerate. France
and Great Britain stand as a dam
against the rising tide Of fascism, nazi-
ism and extreme nationalism in the
Old World. One nation after another
has fallen in line behind the Italian
and Russian theology. Portugal, Po-
land, Yugoslavia, Austria, Esthonia and
Germany have, or have had, dictatorial
regimes. Even in England, where Nose
ley's Fascists, and in France, where
the Croix de Feu took roots, the menace
for a time was real. Conservative
Holland has dangerous Nazi nucleus,
and Republican Spain is energetically
stamping out the Rivera Fascist or
ganization. The success of the Span
ish common front" which wiped out
CONTINUED on Third Pasel