THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1934 GOVERNMENT OF FRANCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21954, 10 November 1934, Page 12

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1934 GOVERNMENT OF FRANCE

France remains in the grip of political dissension. A National Government has fallen and another has been set up. It is announced that the truce will continue, but there seems less likelihood than ever of the main task of the day, that of constitutional reform, being accomplished. The resignation of M. Doumergue with his Cabinet is simply another manifestation of the disease he was endeavouring to cure. Standing shoulder to shoulder with him was M. Herriot, of the Socialist-Radical Party, a former Premier, whose reputation remained unblemished when the political corruption associated with the Bayonne scandals was exposed early in the year. His welltried patriotism and his past experience of office had convinced him that a Government, to govern, must have reasonable tenure or the power to dissolve Parliament and go to the country. When his party conference expressed some antagonism to the plans for reform which, following an inquiry by a commission, M. Doumergue produced, he bluntly announced that he would remain in the National Government whatever the party vote was. But'the strength of M. Herriot, has not been adequate to retain for the Premier sufficient support from the Left to enable him to carry these plans into being. The defection of at least Bix of the members of his Cabinet brought the old stalwart to the parting of the ways once again, and he goes back into the retirement from which, he was summoned last February to steady the nation and provide remedies for grievous wrongs. His initial success was complete. The Bayonne scandals had aroused the temper of the people to turbulence. There were riots in Paris, and the crowd had been fired on. The Chamber of Deputies was menaced, the atmosphere prompting the statement of the Times that constitutional changes in France had more often been brought about by violence than by votes. The unrest spread to the provinces, this proving that the activities of the Communists and the Royalists in fomenting the trouble were merely incidental

The discontent was widespread and deep. The Chamber of Deputies was becoming at once "omnipotent and ineffective." Cabinets had been succeeding one another every month or two without doing anything to stay the financial drift, to correct abuses, particularly in the sphere of justice, or to remove the glaring inequalities of taxation. There are in France one million State employees who, through the political power their organisations can exert, obstructed measures for economy and encouraged the game of grab among the Deputies who were more concerned about satisfying the demands of their own. constituents than for the interests of the whole country. M., Doumergue declared his motto to be "truce and appeasement." He was faced with an empty Treasury, a Budget that had not yet been passed, a system that enabled private members to propose expenditure and have it sanctioned if there was majority support in the Chamber, and handicapped by his inability to dissolve Parliament, to say nothing of the suspicion and bitterness that had been engendered at the time of the riots. His great prestige brought temporary tranquillity. The Budget for 1934 was passed, economies were effected, the civil servants accepting salary reductions with less protest than had been anticipated, and after setting important investigations in motion and securing power to govern largely by decree, M. Doumergue prorogued the Chamber. During this breathing space the reform measure was fashioned and progress was made toward balancing the Budget. crucial test has come, and within a few days the old intrigues have reappeared and France is in little better political shape than she was when M. Doumergue began.

The future cannot be read. M. Flandin, the new Premier, who belongs to the Republican Left and for his years has had wide administrative experience, has built a National Cabinet to which M. Herriot gives his allegiance. He may attempt to take up the task where M. Doumergue left it, but lobbyists are already predicting a short life for his Ministry. The Deputies are still divided into a large number of bargaining groups, which find cohesion only in regard to foreign policy. Hence the frequent discussions as to the possibility of France eventually being ruled by a dictator. There is one power, however, which may safeguard democracy—the exservicemen's organisations. Exerois-

ing a more opei\4nfluence in politics this year, they encouraged M. Doumergue in his programme of reform. Keeping aloof from party politics they have expressed a determination to give France clean government and an efficient system of administration. A reduction of 3 per cent in war pensions was accepted on the understanding that the ex-Premier would carry out reform and reorganisation. With dramatic intensity the leader of the largest body of war veterans warned the Chamber that failure to put its house in order might mean civil war. The barricades which rose in the streets of Paris ten months ago, when what was called the mob clamoured for vengeance upon the Deputies who had dishonoured themselves through being implicated in the Stavisky frauds, are a grim reminder of the possibilities of violence, not from those who would impose the Russian system upon the country, but from patriots exasperated by political intrigue and chicanery. From such an explosion dictatorship might emerge, but that is not the aim of the ex-soldiers. They want a Constitution modelled on that of Britain. They desire prompt dissolutions of Parliament when an administration finds it impossible to hold a majority. It has been said that France is too old in civilisation and too deeply aware of the worth of liberty for regimentation, yet a Frenchman has affirmed that in two years power will be held by whoever is strong enough to take it. It remains to be seen whether the Deputies will avoid the risk by surrendering part of their power.