One of the most important politic arties in France is being divided against itself by the influence of a man who, a few years ago was an obscure school-teacher, known to no one outside his own district. He has not given evidence of great talent or a commanding personality. He eker, but in this respect ho has no superiority over thotisands of other French politicians, He is neither rich, nor cultured, nor attractive, nor witty, nor Ho is simply logical, and his is a sticking proof of the receptivity of the French mind for chimerical ideas. Mr. Gustave Herve, to give him his name, is an internationalist pure and simple. He believes that all men should be brothers, that armies and frontiers should be abolished, that capital should be made to remove its heel from the neck of downtrodden labour, and 80 on. These ideas, it is hardly necessary to say, did not originate with Mr. Herve. His merit is that he carries them further than anyone else, and openly demands that developed to @ logical con-declamations against the existing order of things are, he so; waste of time. Ib i 188 for social to denounce militarism so long as they meekly shoulder their rifles and serve in the army like everyone ole. He began f the reserve should refuse duty when they were called worker other day that the conscripts ought to join their regiments, if a mobile wore ordered, but that they should use the a from ite oppressors." Ho also urged, apparently in all soriousness, that the ini should desert or stay at the patriots to rush to the When the pi slaughtered, the enlightened people would rise in their might, effect" revolution, expel the Rothschilds et hoc genus one, and bogity a new order of things. In the meantime the comrades in the enemy's camp would do the same, and the era of brotherly love without frontiers would be inaugurated. These ideas, closely as they resemble lunacy from the practical point of view, were applauded by the workmen who heard them uttered. Thousands of Mr. Hervé's colloag in a more or youth of France At present they have taken hold of only small section of the adult population, but, like the cholera, they may do a great dos! of harm unless they are kept at arm's length. Probably ridicule will be found the most effective agent. From the party point of view they are disastrous. Mr. Jaurds, who prides himself on being the found of socialism undefiled, condemns them, but does so in so guarded @ way as to create a suspicion that he does not care to offend M. Hervé's supporters on the eve of the general election. Thereby.he implies that the internationalists are a force to be reckoned with, Mr. Clé- mencesu is frankly hostile to Hervéism, and a wordy duel between him and Mr. Jaurds is in progress. The latter has solemnly excommunicated his former charges with becoming reactionary." Mr. Clemenceau thinks Frenchmen ought to defend their country first and not complicate the problem by considerations of duty to humanity in general. Mr. Jaurés with an avalanche o at next year's elections will be required to state definitely whether they share Mr. Hervé's views or not. It will then be possible to ascertain to what extent the' soed has taken root in the electoral soil.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.