Time for Reflection

Amid hushed silence Premier Leon Blum arose last week in the Chamber of Deputies and spoke for two hours in defense of his 80-word bill to give the Popular Front Cabinet totalitarian powers. "There is nothing to prevent us from profiting by certain experiences of the totalitarian regimes," observed this persuasive Socialist. "The German example is eloquent in this respect. The democracies cannot longer remain in a state of inferiority compared with the totalitarian countries!"

This was proclaiming political bankruptcy of the French Republic as a form of government, although the Communist-Socialist-Radical Socialists have won all their electoral victories as champions of French Democracy. The Chamber, amid much muttering, finally supported Leon Blum 311-to-250--the smallest majority since he formed his Popular Front Cabinet --and he prepared to face the Senate.

Paris had been expecting for at least three weeks that the Senate would upset this second Blum Cabinet as it upset the first, but Paris was surprised when Mr. Blum's Socialist henchmen brought out a crowd of 10,000, few of whom, correspondents reported, looked like Frenchmen, most seeming to be Eastern European unemployed. This mob whirled toward the Senate, tearing up iron grillwork on the boulevards to use as clubs, but were stoutly withstood by police and steel-helmeted Gardes Mobiles, "Down with the Senate! Hang these old men!" cried the mobsters and fell to chanting the Internationale. "Down with the dotards! Hang Caillaux! Caillaux to the gallows!"

Inside the Senate, 75-year-old Joseph Caillaux, whom Leftists call "the Cabinet Killer," continued to play his dominant role, icily bemonocled. The Senate, while the crowd howled outside, voted credits for the entertainment of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth on their State visit to France this coming June. As the dinner hour approached the mob scurried home. Inflammatory posters screeched from Paris hoardings meanwhile, appeals to the Socialists, the Communists and the Anarchists to "Rise against this handful of stony-hearted old men, ensconced in their Senatorial Bastille!"

When Premier Blum next day entered the Senatorial Bastille, all his bridges had been burned by the "dotards" demonstration of the afternoon before. Senator Joseph Caillaux, many times Finance Minister, took the floor and declared that those of Leon Blum's proposals which were not "pure inflation" were measures which he had himself advocated to be carried out by a Cabinet more representative of France than the Popular Front. "When I proposed them, Mr. Premier," said old Caillaux. "you said you would as soon have a king in France as what you are asking now."

"If I had to choose between you and a king," spat back the Premier with frigid courtesy, "I should want some time for reflection."

In a final emotional appeal the Premier undertook to tell the "dotards" that not they but the members of the Chamber, who are a few years younger, alone had any right to upset the Popular Front. "Even if you desire such a change in the majority," cried Orator Blum, his voice rising, "it is only for the Chamber, elected by universal suffrage!" Here Senate President Jules Jeanneney cut the Premier short: "Mr. Premier, it is for the Senate, which is an assembly of the Republic, to pronounce its opinion freely--and it will do so in a few minutes."

In a few minutes the Senators had killed the second Popular Front Cabinet 223-to-49, and numerous Senators fulminated that their assembly is the one which represents the geographical districts of France,* and primarily the peasantry and French landholders, large & small. Meanwhile, away went Socialist Blum, hugging the fine chance he had created for again arousing proletarian wrath against "The Dotards." Technically the Cabinet need not have resigned, for in the Senate the Premier had not posed the question of confidence, but he and his Popular Front ministers trooped off to hand their resignations to President Albert Lebrun who immediately named a new Premier (see below).

* Senators are chosen by electorates of persons themselves elected by universal suffrage. The electoral districts were fixed many years ago before the great enlargement of the city population, and thus it takes 23,000 Paris voters to elect one senatorial delegate, whereas in neighboring districts a delegate might be elected by only 2,700 rustics. Custom and usage make it probable that a Frenchman will be elected a Senator only after he has spent years learning the political ropes, serving usually for some years as a Deputy. Although predominantly conservative the Senators are violently republican and have a strong tendency to be anti-clerical.

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