FRENCH ELECTIONS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 118, 21 May 1932, Page 1 (Supplement)

FRENCH ELECTIONS.

For some months before the French national elections the French political atmosphere became highly charged and party strife increa* ingly bitter. A coalition of the Social* ist and Radical Social groups wa« re* sponsible for several setbacks for tho Laval Ministry and desperate efforts were made by the Government to break up the alliance. Early in tho yea;- M. Herriot, loader of the Radical Socialists, was offered a portfolio in the Laval Ministry, but the offer was declined, as the party he led did not want to weaken a good strategic position for the approaching elections. It wished to leave tho Government to bear the burden of its policies, which were claimed to have resulted in “the agricultural, financial and economic crisis, unemployment, the budget deficit, an empty treasury, and the squandering of resources saved for national equipment, in loans to banks or nations in trouble.” As it turned out the decision of tho Radical Socialists to arraign the Government before the electors at the election rather than to share responsibility by their leader, M. Herriot. accepting office with their opponents, was a wiso one from the party’s point of view. Repeated attempts made quite recently by President Dimmer to conciliate Left leaders with M. Tardieu were unavailing, for the Left groups realised that many economic and political circumstances were working with them. It is known that prior to the elections there was some understanding between the Left 1 aders in Franco and leaders of the Left in Germany, and this may presage a more sympathetic atti -de on the part of Franco on some of tho problems, the solution of which means so much to tho welfare of EnrODC.— Napier Daily Telegraph.