It is possible that Thursday, May 1st next, may witness
a conflict in the streets of Paris. The leaders of the Socialists have summoned their followers of all nationalities to make a grand demonstration around the Are de Triomphe, in further- ance of the demand for a day of eight hours. As the language of their friends in the Press is most threatening, some of them advising assassination, and as such a concourse of fanatics might imperil public order, M. Constans has pledged himself to prohibit the assemblage, and if he is disobeyed, to disperse it by force. In ordinary cases this would be final, as the Socialists propose to occupy ground well suited to cavalry ; but the Socialist leaders include some determined men, and they have " General " Cluseret among them, who knows how to organise street-fighting. It is possible, therefore, that the disturbances may be serious, though they can, of course, have but one result. The Chamber is wholly opposed to anarchy ; and so long as the troops obey orders, no crowd, however large, or however full of drilled men, can stand up even for minutes against a regular Govern- ment. They might as well defy the lightning as the leaden spray which a modern regiment can pour out every ten seconds at point-blank range. In three minutes half the crowd would be dead.
