SOCIALIST DOWNFALL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 241, 4 July 1908, Page 6

SOCIALIST DOWNFALL.

HEAVY DEFEAT AT THE PARIS POLLS. The Paris correspondent of the London

Express," writing on May 11, states;—

Tho-result of tho elections for the Paris Municipal Council—a body- which, it must bo understood, is elected not only on municipal grounds, but very largely on tho political opinions of 'tho candidates—lias resulted in a crushing' defeat for the.Socialist's.-

In the new Council, consisting of eighty members, there aro only twenty-two Social- i ists elected, and. of these only ten belong'to tho unified ,or real Socialist party headed by M. Jaures. The other twolve call themselves Independent. Socialists, and on important occasions frequently vote with tho Radicals and Radical-Socialists, and, as opinion is understood, in France, aro Radical in everything but name'. Tho Socialist newspaper " Humanite" admits the Socialist defeat, but ascribes it to a return in France to reactionary opinions, and declares that tho Premier,. M. Clemenccau, has conspired 'with the Opposition to defeat the Socialists. This can hardly bo takou seriously, for only twelve men of the Opposition opinions have been elected members of the new Council. i ■ ;. The real reason of the Socialist defeat is that public opinion in France has ceased to bo as indifferent to. tho progress of Socialism as it used to be. Fow of the commercial enterprises controlled by tho State givo satisfaction in France, and the Socialist programme is regarded as Utopian. A great deal of money was : spent by tho candidates or their backers on the elections; One Socialist's defeat is said to have cost the candidate £4000; that of another £7000; and one would-be member, who only obtained sixteen votes, found that each vote had cost him £80. ;