France and Moscow
The steadiness of French public opinion in the present crisis was once again illustrated this week by the reception given to the announcement of the Soviet-German negotia- tions in Moscow. It is difficult not to believe that for Herr Hitler the value of the pact lies immediately in the dismay and confusion it might be expected to cause in Great Britain and France. But in France, as in Great Britain, there has been no evidence of weakening, even if few share the jubila- tion of the French Communists over " the triumph of Stalin's peace policy." At the Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday, after news of the pact had been received, there were no signs of the dissension and indecision which afflicted the French Government last September ; indeed, the one con- clusion which the Government and the Press alike appear to have drawn is that it is now more than ever necessary to affirm the determination of the democracies to resist force with force. M. Daladier, however, has not yet decided to recall the Chamber ; the most urgent problem before him is the military measures which must be taken and which were the subject of his long conversation with General Gamelin on Tuesday.
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