Evening star., 1941-02-09

when Premier. Enacted In the
brief space of 10 weeks following
June s. 1886. his reforms were in
spired by one strategic thought
that of establishing in French iuris-
prudence the superiority of human
over property rights.
Chief among numerous innova-
tions of the Popular Front-a coali-
tion of Radical-Socialists. Socialists
week, collective bargaining, pro-
gram of public works, nationaliza-
ton of the munitions industries,
controls of wheat, coal and prices
in general, and reform of the stat
utes of the Bank of France. known
as the second bastille,' which had
withstood every shock since its
foundation by Napoleon 1876 years
before. and which had enabled a
hereditary dynasty Of II families to
become undisputed masters not only
of French finance but of French
politics
NJ. Blum will be SO years old on
April 9. A man of letters with a
European reputation and a states
man once known as the French
Roosevelt and author of the Gallo
New Deal" he is confined, the in
formation is. in two cells, each about
six feet square. without heat. cleo
tricity or running water. He is for
hidden to receive or write letters,
and to have radio. Only one visi-
tor is allowed, once a week. This
is his daughter-in-law, Nine. Robert
oner in Germany.
Demeanor is SANITY"
The elder Blum has lost several
pounds in weight during his i'm
prisonment, it is said, but is in good
spirits, despite the fact that he has
been deserted by all but a handful
of the men whom he advanced and
protected in his time of power. He
is declared never to complain or
talk about himself, and his de-
meanor is described as SANITY"
He reads the Bible and the essays
of his favorite author, Montaigne,
or else works at the defense which
he may never be permitted to de-
liver In addition to his achieve
mentS in politics and as a great art
ist of prose, M Blum was one of
the most distinguished of French
lawyers. For nearly a quarter of
century he was an officer of the
Tnlir do roccotinv1 trihIi,oo1 nf 10 ~
resort in civil and criminal cases.
M. Blum's friends would accept
for him. with rejoicing, sentence
of Punishment. They are convinced
that the only chance for that mercy
lies in the intercession of the United
States. Should the American Gov
ernment refuse to intervene for the
purpose of demanding his release
or acquittal, they beg two modest
favors. One is that permission be
obtained for a representative of the
State Department to attend the
secret trial which is supposed to
begin shortly at Riom before Judge
LIE Sieur. The other is that, in case
the Germans occupy Southern
France, the United States should
exact that M. Blum and other po-
litical prisoners be sent at once to
Africa.
The point is made that NJ Blum
had every facility for escape to
England, Spain or Switzerland, but
that he steadfaStly refused, on the
ground that he wouldn't desert
France, which he loved, and par
ticularly the French workers to
whom he had consecrated his ca
reer. Instead. he chose to await
his destiny at Narbonne, in the de-
partment of the Aude, which had
sent him to the Chamber Of Depu-
ties in every election since 1923. He
was actually arrested, the report is,
in the neighboring city of Toulouse.
Five Others Await Trial.
Six men, it is declared, are in
prison awaiting trial. In addition
to M. Blum, they are former Pre-
mier Edouard Daladier, former Cen
eralissimo Maurice Gamelin, Guy
La Chambre, minister of air in the
Daladier cabinet; Georges Mandel
minister of colonies under Premier
Paul Reynaud, and NJ. Reynaud
himself. The first four are quar-