perhaps disappoint-Doumergue has given hint to the Chamber in the new Cabinet, when it is formed, a clear chance to solve the budget problem. Therein probably lies the chief concern of the Premier with the situation outside France. The balaneing of the budget, achieved by Chautemps, has to be confirm. ed by the provision for dealing with the deficit in the current year: Otherwise the Government may find the task of keeping the franc on gold beyond the power even of a Cabinet of all the talents. The outbreak of mob violence which has caused M, Daladier's hasty disappearance has an ugly note of revolution, but, probably it is nothing more than a note. Paris, too, is not France; she creates ideas, but, the political power rests in the French peasant. The French peasant proprietory' may be said to be a source of strength to the men who require reform of the parliamentary system rather than a despairing resort to a dictatorship. It is perhaps significant that among the namex mentioned for inclusion in the National Cabinet are those of M. Laval and M. Tardieu. M, Laval, ix true, has bluntly declared not so very long ago that parliamentary government is more suited to easy times, but he did not go so far as to suggest its replacement. MIN. Tardieu has been openly advocating drastic tutional reforms.
The present turn of events suggests that the Socialist elements have definitely been checked. It is probable that although the new forces which will seek leadership in M. Doumergue are not disposed to blink at the Sodalist label if applied to their schemes, their general outlook is mainly Nationalist. Here i close ies as likely to eschew democratic principles in favour of the fashionable dictatorship cult, which, when logically examined, is really the apotheosis of emo-! tional democracy in extremis, And, if patterns of existing dictatorships are taken into account, the possibility of a French imitation will be scout-nies there is a remarkable revulsion in national feeling, the idea that a Frenchman cannot criticise his government is far too ridiculous in French eyes to be readily accepted. The economic difficulties with which successive Governments have laboured to tackle, but have been unable fully to' remove, have certainly spread the conviction that drastic constitutional reform is necessary. Whether Doumergue, to attain this end, will insist on the President's recourse to the only once used Power of dissolution under the Constitution of 1875, remains to be seen. For the moment it is probably sufficient to note that Doumergue's Cabinet may take special powers to handle' the special problem of the budget. That, in a sense, may Involve the temporary delegation of its authority by parliament, In this connection it, Is, perhaps, pertinent to recall the reforms on which M. Tardieu lately Laid emphasis." Among them was the endowment of the Prime [Minister with discretionary pow-jets to insist upon a dissolution, This right is, of course, possessed by the Prime Minister of Eng-and and has been his for many decades, The referendum was also recommended to strengthen \the Prime Minister's position in regard to certain specific mea~ sures held by him to be necessary for the conduct of affairs, Although M. Tardieu was thought to be aiming at some kind of fascist solution when he put his proposals forward, it will be Jagreed that the adoption of those particular specifics could proceed without any marked departure from democratic practice. The real issue at stake in this crisis is the maintenance of the economic fabric ina healthy condition for sane evolution. The younger generation in France is working economy which they deny has any for what they term a planned
legitimate association with col-activism or fascism. The recent {scandals must inevitably have rrengthened their hands, How far they will find scope for expression of their views in the Cabinet which M, Doumergue is now forming cannot at once be surmised. During the last year 1 the events in Germany have produced profound feelings of apprehension in France and yet that apprehension has not been without a generous sympathy with a good deal of Herr Hitler's personal views. The bewildering succession of Cabinets has gradu: ally created the impression that there is a Inck of defined policy for the satisfaction of French ideas of leadership. But, behind the restiveness, is that solid con-servetism which will not flatter leven the ardent dreams of the royalists who, just now, are acquiring more notice than has been their fortune of late but who will probably have to yield before a working agreement which {places the interests of French nationalism first—and last. The new Government, in fact, is likely to take the middle course and insist on the preservation of the the influence of a current of feel- national outlook. The effect on ing which has been active in European affairs generally may most countries in the world to-not be disturbing; indeed it may day.
There may be a develop-help to quicken the stability ment of this trend of thought, which the outside situation but, it not regarded by France so sorely demands.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.