534-to-0

In Paris last week the Chamber of Deputies held its first secret session since World War I. For weeks the word had gone round that Middle-of-the-Road Premier Edouard Daladier might be slipping and perhaps the secret session would be full of banana peels. It lasted 31 hours, with only three recesses. Then journalists and an eager Paris crowd were permitted to swarm into the galleries. They looked down on a Chamber filled with good humor. Some Deputies greeted the crowd with handclaps, others waved to the galleries. Abrupt silence fell as the urns were produced. The Chamber was about to vote on the supreme issue of confidence--or lack of confidence--in the general conduct of the war by Edouard Daladier.

From the press box eager eyes were fixed on the urns and a ripple of surprise began as it was seen that only white papers--favorable to the Premier--were being dropped by the balloting deputies. When the vote was announced as 534-to-0, P. J. Philip cabled the New York Times: "This unanimity is a new thing. It represents a political development of enormous importance." Not once since war began had the whole House supported the Government. To friends and foes, France meant to get on with the war, and meant business.

"The debate that has occupied these last two days," declared Chamber Speaker Edouard Herriot amid an eager hush, "has enabled us to dissipate certain legends and establish the truth--the comforting truth. It has permitted the Premier to explain his course to us confidentially, in a manner that was simple and familiar and by that fact infinitely moving. It has finally permitted Parliament to play its full role. ... In two days there has been confirmed in decisive fashion our national unanimity which is inalienable because it is founded on liberty and the passionate love of country." The whole House rose and roared further proof that the Government must have given a highly satisfactory secret accounting of its stewardship. Air Minister Guy La Chambre's detailed exposition of the aviation situation was a feature of this secret accounting. Apparently censorship, which was to have been discussed at the secret session, was shelved, for it was announced that this week the Chamber will openly debate the doings of France's Services de l'Information, de la Propagande et de la Censure. Deputies agreed the secret session had been one of the most dignified in Chamber history. "It is the journalists who oblige us to make certain sessions stormy," cracked Deputy de la Ferronays. "Since their job is to make a vivid report of everything that goes on in the sessions, we sometimes feel the need of playing roles designed pure and simple for the press gallery."

"Traitors!" What made the 534-to-0 Chamber vote additionally significant was that it came last week after Middle-of-the-Roader Edouard Daladier had taken overt steps presaging a French diplomatic break with the Soviet Union. Some 100 Paris police swooped down to raid the Soviet Trade Delegation, broke open its safes and files, seized incriminating papers. When Soviet Ambassador Jacob Suritz angrily protested, demanding release of several arrested Soviet clerks, his demand was flatly rejected. Home from Moscow to Paris, ostensibly on sick leave, hustled French Ambassador Paul Emile Naggiar. With the certainty that Great Britain and France are now rushing large supplies to Finland, the likelihood of a break was hotting up.

Meanwhile last week French Military Courts prepared to try 44 Communist former Deputies on minor charges of "illegal activities," punishable by not more than two years in jail and loss of civic rights. Incensed was Moscow when major charges of "treasonable activities," punishable by death, were lodged against nine Communist former Deputies, including Maurice Thorez, the French Earl Browder.

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