Evening star., 1936-04-22
The French Elections.

In the midst of the explosive European
situation created by Ethiopia and the
Rhineland, l1,5OO,0O0 French voters will
60 to the polls next Sunday and finally
on May to elect Chamber of Deputies
of 6l8 members. Although the parlia-
mentary regime is under a shadow and
has lost much prestige, there is no dearth
of candidates. Altogether 4807 aSpirants
are in the field, or an average of nearly
eight for every one of the places to be
filled. The record list exceeds by nearly
1000 the total presented in 1882. In the
Seine department alone, embracing
Paris, the ballots contain 1,402 names.
Issues involved are about as vague as
candidates are numerous. Peace and
security are the only questions COM
manding universal attention. On them
parties and candidates are taking some
more or less definite stand. Considering
the gravity Of the interests at stake, the
campaign has proceeded amid relative
apathy even though it is recognized that
the next wielders of Chamber power face
stormy days in cropping for solutions of
burning international, economic and
financial problems.
BY request of Premier Sarraut and
Foreign Minister Flandin, the League
Council postponed conclusive considera-
ton of sanctions and Italo-Ethiopian
| peace matters until May II, when the
elections will definitely be over. Mean
| time voters are sorely torn between con-
| flicting emotions of loyalty to the
| foundering Geneva organization and
| budding conviction that France might do
better to quit the League and seek sal
vation in her armed strength and in her
alliances. The average Frenchman can
be excused for being befuddled when
statesmen tell him one day that it would
be fatal further to plague Italy with
sanctions must be imposed upon Ger
many for establishing the watch on
the Rhine. Nationalists call for bigger
and better armaments. Communists de-
| mand closer link with Soviet Russia.
Radical Socialists clamor for collective
security" There is a group which favors
a friendly relationship with Germany,
along with a perpetuated entente with
Great Britain.
Nearly all candidates officially advocate
maintenance of the franc on the present
gold standard. But it is an open secret
that the only escape from treasury tribu-
lations and chronic dislocation of French
trade lies in eventual devaluation in
accordance with the pound and the dol
lar. The average voter is as much
baff1ed on this score as he is on the
international muddle. The result is a
campaign of unprecedented chaos and
confusion.
Several weeks ago it was freely pre-
dicted that the elections would go
strongly to the left, and that the
Popular Front" would come into power
for as long as its radical Socialist and
Communist wings contrived to agree.
Since then the Rhineland affair has so
altered the picture, especially in the
eastern provinces and the Paris district,
that it is now regarded not unlikely that
the new Chamber will bear close re-
semblance to its former Rightist COM
plexion. Behind the regular political
parties looms the menace of the Gross
of Fire" Fascists. They are taking no
direct part in the campaign, but theirs
is a growing movement and one of the
contributory causes to national uneasi-
ness and uncertainty.