Evening star., 1938-04-17
By CONSTANTINE BROWN.


creates grave concern in Washing
ton diplomatic quarters. France is
threatened with revolution. Nor
mally French cabinet crisis is considered
'one of those unavoidable things" but the
fall Of the second Blum cabinet is not re-
garded in the usual light. It may mean,
according to unbiased advices from Paris,
the beginning of a period of unrest and
social troubles which might set France back
to the days of 1889. 1t is amazing to out
side observers that. at a time when the
very life of the Republic seems menaced. its
party leaders should be unable to forget
their petty controversies and form a cabinet
Of national union to confront the surging
menace Of the dictatorial powers.
The French people have been told that
Frances lines of communication with North
Africa-the granary and the source of man
power of the Republic in the event Of con-
f1ict-are now jeopardized by the Italians.
They have been told that Germany has
seduced, by persuasion or by force, Frances
allies in Central and Southeastern Europe.
And. finally, Chamberlain has said, as
plainly as foreign prime minister can
decently say it. that Britain's change Of at
titude toward the totalitarian states is due
to the fact that the country cannot rely on
an ally like France where the internal con-
ditions are unsettled and the danger of a
revolution is imminent Despite these
warnings and dangers. Premier Leon Blum
was not able to get the rightest and the
leftist political groups to work together.
Blum No Partisan Now.
The tall lean ex-premier probably is
the outstanding politician the French people
have today. He has thorough comprehen-
uations. Although the leader of party
which is closer to the Communists than
any other political organization. Blum has
ceased to be partisan.
When President Lebrun practically forced
him. to accept his second ministry. he did 1t
in the hope that he would be able to
induce the Communists and the extreme
rightists to enter his cabinet. And when he
failed because Of the stubbornness Of the
latter, he told Lebrun: II am leaving my
resignation on your desk; with the present
setup, won't last two months"
Blum realizes, too, that the totalitarian
state idea has made deep inroads into
many important quarters Of France, the
mother Of European democracies. Not
later than March, discussing the general
situation with an American of distinction,
he impaired his qualms and concern over
the future of France once Franco Is estab-
ished on the Pyrenees
His American friend asked: "Why don't
you send some 500 planes over to the
Loyalists? You say that with such force
they could still wipe out the rebels and their
German-1talian allies" Because" Blum
replied, peering through his thick lenses,
Il am not sure that at least $50 of the
pilots wouldn't fly over to Franco" Then
he proceeded to explain that while he has
not the slightest doubt Of the loyalty Of the
army in the event France had to fsht her
own war, there is strong feeling in manv
quarters in France that helping President
Negrin Of Spain means helping the Com
munist cause. Under those circumstances,
nobody can tell what the individualistic
Frenchmen might do
The new Prime Minister, Edourd Dala-
dier. has been in charge of the army for
the last three years and has achieved .
miracle. He obtained from the Com
munist leaders the promise that they will
order their youths when they go to the
barracks to do their military service and be
good soldiers. The Communists have kept
their promise. Daladier is popular with
the army and this, under the present CTR
cumstances. seems more important than
being popular with the politicians.
=, It Is an open secret that Leon jouhaux,