* * * * France's New Government While Herr Hitler
was invading Austria, France was without a Government ; and not even that decisive act was sufficient to bring into being the Government of National Union which is the only effective answer France could make to it. M. Blum once again failed to form the Cabinet extending " from Marin to Thorez " which he desires and France needs ; the reason for his failure, at such a crisis, is probably that the Right and Centre have only to wait a little longer to secure a National Government which excludes the Communists. M. Blum's present Cabinet of Radicals and Socialists has no firmer foundation than the rapidly disintegrating Front Populaire ; by common consent it can only be a stopgap, of short duration, and prepare for the union sacree, headed perhaps by M. Blum but more probably by the War Minister, M. Daladier. The most important changes in the Government are the exclusion of M. Chautemps, whose surprising resignation still requires explanation, and the inclusion of M. Paul-Boncour as Foreign Minister instead of M. Delbos. The change is significant, because M. Paul-Boncour is distinguished by his profound faith in collective security, his opposition to the policy of non-intervention in Spain with which M. Delbos is identified, and the belief that, when necessary, France may and must pursue her foreign policy in independence of England. The course of events in Spain may bring non-intervention to an end, but it must be remembered that M. Blum was the father of the non-intervention policy.
