Au Parlement

That great, gentle mathematician War Minister Paul Painleve asked a favor last week of his good friend Joseph Paul-Boncour, leader of the Right Wing Socialists, outstanding pacifist, fervent champion of the League of Nations before which he represented France in 1924-25. All that M. Painleve asked of M. Paul-Boncour was that he would introduce and sponsor in the Chamber a bill proposing to spend 7,000,000 francs ($280,000) forthwith on armaments to protect the frontiers of France.

Enlightened, Pacifist Paul-Boncour inspected the bill, found it good and "purely defensive," introduced it with all the weight of his influence and the persuasion of his lawyer oratory before the Chamber.

"Down with War!" chanted the Communists, drubbing and banging on their desks. They were particularly incensed at a clause which would make every man, woman and child in France liable to be drafted for combat or work behind the lines. "This bill proposes," cried a Communist, "nothing less than to make the French war-time slaves to French capital!"

War Minister Painleve said: "The Mass Mobilization Bill only insures daily collaboration between the economic and military defenders of France. . . . No effort should be spared to avoid the cataclysm which, the next time, would wipe out entire populations, without distinction to age or sex. Any statesman who does not dwell on these thoughts is not worthy of public trust."

The bill, subjecting all France, male and female, to the draft, passed 500-31.