Left Turn

From, the preliminary elections fortnight ago members of the French Right learned that if they were to make any sort of a showing in last week's run-off elections, they must pull up their collective socks.

Billboards burgeoned with flaming posters of the disasters threatening France from Russia on one side, from Germany on the other. Out of semiretirement, the Right ists lured Marshal Henri Phillippe Benoni Omer Joseph Petain, Hero of Verdun, to give his benediction to the Fascist Croix de Feu which, though it had no candidates of its own, backed all the Rightist groups.

"By holding out our hand to Moscow," quavered the 77-year-old marshal, "we have held it out to Communism. . . . We are bringing Communism into the circle of admissible doctrines. We probably shall have reason to regret it. I am anxious, anxious for the safety of France and for Frenchmen's liberties.

"In my opinion everything international is mischievous, Everything national is useful and fertile. The Croix de Feu is one of the soundest elements in the country. It wants to defend the family." When election returns were counted last week Communism was not only in the circle of admissible doctrines, but definitely in the Chamber of Deputies with 72 seats.

This was the largest representation Communists have ever won in France. It meant that, with the Socialists of varying degrees of pinkness, the Popular Front had an overwhelming victory of 378 seats, enough and to spare to guarantee the formation of the next Cabinet when the Chamber reconvenes on June 1.

In theory, bushy-lipped Socialist Leon Blum, strategist of the Popular Front, should become the next Premier of France, but comparatively few wiseacres thought that he would. Party leaders knew perfectly well last week that their huge vote was less a vote for Socialism than a vote against the bourgeois Radical Socialist Party which has dominated the Chamber since 1895, and which most Frenchmen feel was responsible for the Stavisky Case and the black eye that scandal gave their country. For years the technique of French Socialists has been to dodge the responsibility of government, heap scorn on those who must accept it.

With the prospective fall of the Sarraut Cabinet, President Lebrun must ask Socialist Blum to form the next Government.

For reasons of his own, M. Blum is expected to refuse. This would be a relief to all France which, with most of Europe nervously shadowboxing, is not anxious to antagonize Nazi Germany with a Premier who is both a Socialist and a Jew. Frenchmen thoroughly expected therefore that, having voted against the Radical Socialists, the next Premier would be a Radical Socialist--Edouard Daladier, two-time Premier. As a matter of fact, M. Daladier is far more Socialistic in sympathy than most of his fellow party members, hence will attract the support of the Popular Front.

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