M. Daladier Endangered The victory of the left wing French
Socialists under M. Leon Blum, a group which, under the leadership of M. Renaudel, is for co-operating so far as possible with the present. government, will make matters considerably more difficult for M. Daladier and weaken his position just at a moment when its consolidation is of the utmost impor- tance, not merely for France, but for Europe. Socialists in different countries have not been cutting a particularly happy political figure in the last few years. If the Social Democrats in Germany had co-operated more actively and effectively with Dr. Bruning the Nazi victory might never have been .achieved. And now in France the resolve of the purists to hold out for 100 per cent. of their academic principles, at the risk of bringing down the most progressive government France has had for years, is a further example of the insistence of the Socialists on aiming at the politically ideal and missing it., rather than at the politically practical and attaining it. The immedi- ate cause of difference in the present case is whether the Socialists in the Chamber should have voted against the government because it did not make the full 10 per cent. c•ut in military expenditure. Fortunately enough of them under M. Renaudel went into the government lobby to make M. Daladier safe this time. But his security for the future is seriously endangered.
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