* M. Laval in Danger M. Laval's situation -becomes increasingly
.precarious. Ile has to meet the Chamber on December 3rd—unless its opening is postponed for another week—and as things stand will be faced then with a dangerous resolii? tion moved. on behalf of. the Radicals and Socialists in regard to the various so-called Fascist Leagues. A serious skirmish at Limoges on Sunday between .the Croix de Feu and various anti-Fascist organisations appears to have been due to aggression by the former. In any case the Leagues are arrogating to themselves a position in the State which no Government can long tolerate, and M. Laval is left with the difficult choice between pre- cipitating actual conflict with the Leagues and -risking a vote which may overthrow. the Government and put M. Herriot,• or a caretaker like M. Mandel, • in power- Even if a compromise is reached on this, as on the whole seems likely, the financial situation may almost as easily bring the Government down. There is no prospect that the budget will balance, and the cry is being raised, mostly in interested quarters, that the Bank, in spite of the rise in its discount-rate last week, is losing gold at an alarming pace. And at any moment the Stavi'sky trial may produce some shattering revelation. M. Laval's personal popularity'has vanished, and his pro-Italian policy, which alienated the Left, has not even produced any success to gratify the Right..
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