PARIS SCENE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22344, 15 February 1936, Page 13

PARIS SCENE

SOCIALIST LEADER ATTACK BY ROYALISTS CAR WINDOWS BROKEN M. BLUM BEATEN PROMPT POLICE ACTION By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received February 14, 5.5 p.m.) PARIS, Feb. 14 A band of Royalists armed with loaded canes, attacked the Socialist leader, M. Leon Blum, in a car yesterday. They broke the windows of the car and a fragment of glass severed an artery in one of M. Blum's temples, after which he was manhandled and had to be treated in hospital. The attack was made when M. Blum was on his way home in M. Monnet's car, which, when opposite to the War Ministry Building, was caught in a traffic block. At that moment the funeral procession of a Royalist historian, M. Vainville, was passing, and a number of those in the cortege recognised M. Blum and broke the windows of the car.

Workmen engaged in an adjacent building prevented M. Blum from being beaten to death. He is now home from hospital and is not seriously injured. M. Monnet, a deputy, and his wife received cuts from broken glass. The Royalists allege that the occupauts of tiie ear claimed Parliamentary privilege to drive through tho procession. - Police Seize Film of the Incident M. Maurras, one of the leaders of tho Royalist organisation, L'Action Francaise, said: "We organised the funeral with the approval of the police, but M. Blum was looking for trouble and broke through the lines. When he was beaten he said it was lose majeste and demanded the dissolution of the Royalists." After the occurrence the police searched the headquarters of L'Action Francaise and sealed the offices of MM. Maurras and Daudet. They found M. Blum's hat and necktie. M. Pujo, chief editor of tho Royalist journal, said they seized documents that were not important. The organisation's confidential documents were in a safe place. The paper appeared as xisual to-day. The police seized an amateur's film of the attack by means of which it is expected they will be able to identify the assailants. Alleged Incitement to Murder The city to-night is an armed camp. Mobile troops are posted at all strategic points. The police searched the homes of MM. Daudet and Maurras. The authorities have instituted proceedings against M. Maurras and M. Delest, nominal proprietor of tho newspaper L'Action Francaise, for incitement to murder in an article published on January 13, reproducing an article of November, 1935.

Although M. Blum is wealthy he has been president of the French Socialist Party since 1924. He is editor of the Socialist daily newspaper, Le Populaire. and a leader of the Front Populaire. His flat recently has been constantly guarded. It is believed that arrests are imminent.