Evening star., 1937-06-27
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.
Is FRANCE in danger of being
removed from her position as the
dominant continental power to
4 secondary role? This is ques-
In every foreign Office throughout the
world. but also by many Frenchmen,
who dolefully shake their heads at the
waning power of their country.
Thirteen months ago, when Leon
Blum was installed at the Hotel
Matignon as the first French premier
OF the Jewish faith. there we're few
power for more than three or four
months. His administration, formed
of men with little weight in the COM
plex French political life, was consid-
cred a stop-gap cabinet.
Yet the intellectual French premier
did well-better than most of his
predecessors since the end of the
World War. Supported in Parlia-
ment almost exclusively by the ultra
radical elements. Blum followed a
policy which reconciled his extreme
Socialist and Communist followers
and the ma jority OF the bourgeoisie,
who saw in him the best safeguard
against internal disturbances. He
remedied many Of the social inequities
which existed in the land of liberty,
equality and fraternity" ard, while
appearing to be the great protector
Of the proletariat. he helped the
bourgeoisie by placing commerce and
industry on a sounder social basis.
His skill in reconciling the points of
view of the proletariat and the middle
classes earned him the reputation of
being the best political tight-rope
walker French politics has seen in
the last 40 years.
Middle Glasses Disconnected.
Yet, despite this temporary success,
Leon Blum's administration was forced
out by the Senate. The difficult
situation Of the treasury, the mount
ing cost of living. the discomfort
Of the middle classes at the over
bearing attitude of the labor people
and the hatred of the industrial pop
ulation for the bourgeoisie, all con-
tributed to rendering the position of
the best administration France has
had in the last 20 years untenable.
France, which initiated the present
armament race by the short-sighted
policy Of her postwar administrators,
finds herself drawn into this vortex
entirely unprepared to meet the sky
rocketing expenditure the armament
race is requiring. The social reforms
OF the Blum administration caused
an increase In the cost of living OF
about 80 per cent over last years cost.
The shortened hours, the increase in
minimum wages and other laws voted
by the French in the last few months
brought about this increase. The gen.
eral standard of wages has been
raised by about rs per cent. Thus
the higher cost Of living, while still
tolerab!e as far as the working classes
are concerned. adversely affects the
middle and the upper classes If
there were chance of the population
OF France being able to cope with this
new situation, the position of the
4OllAl SOVCl llllSllt ~OuO 1lOG 1IdtC UtSll
impossible. The costs OF relief, old
age pensions and other social reforms
take q substantial slice of the French
budget. Under normal conditions, the
new social requirements could be met
BY new taxes which the middle and
upper classes could still afford to pay
But in the last few months the French
government has found itself con-
fronted with an increase in its ma.
tionAl defense expenditure which is
out OF all proportion to the paying
capacity Of its taxtable population.
France Followed Britain.
Faced With = serious menace from
the authoritarian states, the British
government decided to spend fantastic
sums for the improvement of its army
navy and air force. The French were
compelled to follow suit. Great Brit.
ain, with its still enormous resources
6 able to meet a national defense
program amounting to $500, ,O00, 900 q
year. Germany and Italy have aban.
doned the orthodox accounting and
financing systems and are able to re-
main in the race, for . while at least
The subjects Of Hitler and Mussolin.
have nothing to say about how theil
incomes shall be spent. and these two
dictators are able to juggle with thu
wealth Of these two nations in any
way they like. Lacking gold for ths
purpose Of international trade, they
have supplanted the yellow meta
with the products Of their nationals
labor. which they exchange in th<
world markets for raw materials. B,
controlling the appetites Of their citi'
sens and by directing their energie.
they can keep up with the arma.
ment YAoe.
France has neither the flnancia,
resources nor the political stability o.
Great Britain, nor can her govern