Established 1866. The Marlborough Express. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1919. EUROPEAN ELECTIONS.

Marlborough Express, Volume LIII, Issue 274, 21 November 1919, Page 4

Established 1866. The Marlborough Express. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1919. EUROPEAN ELECTIONS.

The elections which have just been held in France and Belgium have resulted, so all w rho are well wishers to the French and Belgian people must have been very pleased to notice, in a routing of the "Red" element, the Extreme Socialists having been heavily defeated in both countries. , A bitter fight is still proceeding. in Italy, where, especially in the industrial centres of Lorn bardy, the extremist section is very strong. It is to be hoped, however, that Italy,; like France and Belgium, will support the sacred cause of law and order, and prove to the world that the Italian people are determined that their country shall not drift into the same state of political; and economic chaos as exists in Russia as the result of Soviet rule.: In France there was, for a time, some danger of the Republican Party, so ably led by the veteran Clemenceau, suffering at the polls through sectional disputes. Happily, however, the various sections" of the Moderates have wisely, agreed to combine against the common foe, the Revolutionary Socialists, and the result has been that Clemencrnu remains in power and the *'xted" danger is, for the present at least, averted. In Belgium-the Catholic or Conservative party, so it would appear, as in a majority, the Socialists polling heavily but not succeeding in gaining the victory. When the full results of th£ Italian elections are made known it will, ■we trust, be made manifest that in the three Allied countries named the cause of good and honest government on moderate lines is safe, and that the statesmen of these countries will be able to proceed quietly_ with the great work of reconstruction.