Daladier, Herriot & Heart

The annual caucus of the Radical Socialist Party last week met at Marseille, disturbed by a great fire (see col. 1), but offering Premier Daladier a chance to address all France. Misnamed, the Radical Socialists are actually "moderates," are at the approximate centre of the French Chamber political spectrum.

No. 1 Radical Socialist Daladier came to power heading a Cabinet supported by Radical Socialists, Socialists and Communists, "The Popular Front." Later, the Communists voted against the Munich accord, the Socialists abstained. It remains to be seen whether the Socialists will break with Daladier. He has shown no signs of wanting to break with them.

At Marseille last week Orator Daladier burst out against the Communists in a speech aimed to gather as much support as possible from all other French Parties: "One party can say to me that it always favored an uncompromising attitude, even should that lead to war. . . . That is, the Communist Party! The violence and intransigence of this party sought to paralyze my action. When its newspapers, its orators coarsely attacked Chamberlain who worked with admirable faith for safety and peace, did that not weaken the position of France? When they addressed daily challenges to the French Government did that facilitate our action? When they launched anathema against governments before whom we found ourselves in perilous negotiation, did they not risk hindering it and precipitating war?"

The Premier next replied to Leftist charges that his partial abrogation of the 40-Hour Week Law to speed Rearmament after Munich was against the interests of the working class. He cried: "What is this absurd legend which seeks to make believe that a call to work is merely Fascist ideology? What is the meaning of this crusade against the Government which boomerangs against France? . . . We say there is no more imperious national duty than to produce more and better goods! When I ask a vigorous effort, I ask it of all Frenchmen, not only the working class! I will not tolerate a spirit of retrogression which would reduce the well-being and the liberty of the workers!"

Finally the Premier gave Communist and other propaganda agents in France this warning: "Hitlerian Germany, Fascist Italy and Communist Russia forbid democratic propaganda in their lands. It is their right as sovereign States. The French Republic, whose patience has perhaps been too easygoing, will henceforth watch and render impossible any acts that arise outside of the country's own heart."

The French Confederation Generale du Travail (General Confederation of Labor) represents 5,000,000 enrolled trade unionists and is headed by Leon Jouhaux. who last year held important negotiations in Moscow with Soviet Trade Union heads. The Confederation retorted last week that the program of Radical Socialist Daladier is "admissible only in a fascist regime. . . . The C. G. T. will know how to take measures for its defense."

Meanwhile at Marseille huge Edouard Herriot, who hopes to be elected President of the Republic next year, addressed the Radical Socialist caucus thus: "I say that France has the right to accords with Russia. I cannot accept the idea that a country of 140,000,000 inhabitants can be surrounded with barbed wire and isolated like a plague." M. Herriot, who conferred in Washington in April 1933 with the U. S. President, declared that he hopes to see Mr. Roosevelt again with a view to setting up some sort of "permanent organization" for economic appeasement among nations, not just another World Economic Conference. French Foreign Minister Georges Bonnet footnoted: "We remain faithful to the League of Nations . . . but France cannot build her policy of Peace solely upon it."

Between the anti-Communist thunder of Daladier and the economic peace efforts of Presidential Candidate Herriot, the Radical Socialist Party drafted resolutions heartily endorsing the points of view of its spokesmen. The French Chamber reconvenes on November 16 and before then leaders of other French parties will each hold a caucus. All the caucuses will finally add up to a new way of carving the French Chamber pie to form a firm coalition. If they do not, Premier Daladier proposes to ask President Lebrun to call a general election.

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