| Show FRENCH CHEER AMERICAN FLAG National Politics Has H a s Blaring Bearing B aring Upon Friendship Special Dispatch jo The Standard Standard- Examiner Copyright 1927 Consolidated Press Association PARIS July 16 The 16 The Bastille day cUy celebration which began Thursday and extends over o the week end seems to be more a festival of Franco- Franco American friendship than of French liberty Three American trans Atlantic flights in the few lew weeks immedi Immedi- immediately Immediately Immediately preceding and the presence of Commander Byrd and Clarence Chamberlin and their assistants at atthe atthe atthe the unprecedented Fourth of July festivities were determining factors in the transformation of this annual pa trio AJ demonstration into an In International In- In InternatiOnal event AMERICA A IS CHEERED Wherever tr one goes at all the nu nu- numerous numerous nu- nu numerous public meetings where ora ora- oratory oratory oratory tory flourishes as it docs does with the United States on Independence nce day the name of America is greeted with cheers American flags everywhere are intertwined with the French tri trl tricolor tri tri- tricolor color and American tourists who vho Join in the joy making are the ob ob- objects objects objects of enthusiastic attentions which make a sharp contrast v with the spirit cf Irritation that reigned last year jear ear on national fete fele day Questions of dollars and debts are forgotten burled buried under showers of mutual bouquets There is not the slightest question qu that America officially of fi- fi and popularly stands foremost in French hearts today of all aU the nations of the tt world But while a whole nations nation's feelings can thus be transformed almost over over- overnight overnight overnight night by the daring and genius of a handful of air pioneers it cannot be forgotten that the opposite may hap hap- happen happen happen pen with equal celerity at any mo mo- moment ment ment either either through the narrowness and of politicians or through some purely fortuitous cir cir- circumstances circumstances The French franc Crane Is not yet out of danger and if an anything thing happens to 10 that franc again it will be blamed on American finance and on the American government Yet it is 15 quite possible that neither one nor the theother theother other will be at fault faint The chief menace to the franc Is the instability of French politics a matter quite outside American con con- control trot CAUSE OF COLLAPSE Negative government go in France and not pressure from Washington Wall street was responsible for lor forthe forthe the collapse of the franc last sum sum- mer Positive government under POincare was responsible for lor its res res- restoration The problem today is whether hether positive government can continue through and beyond the coming par par- parliamentary parliamentary parliamentary election campaign which will open immediately after the summer vacation I Poincare himself refuses to take any interest in internal politics He believes the statesman should put such pre occupations out of his mind and trust to the public to approve him when he has done well But French electoral machinery affords no opportunity for the voter to express ex express ex- ex express press his approval al and unless such machinery is organized between now and next spring there is grave fear that the millions who desire tc vote ote for a continuance of the present poli poli- policies policies cies cles will have no option but to elect the enemies of those policies About the only man in the cabinet who is alive to the dangers d that are arc ahead is Andre Tardieu who be besides be- be besides besides sides being the one outstanding statesman of the younger generation men men of men of 50 and under under has has a veritable veritable veritable able genius for political organization Tardieu has declared for a country country- countrywide countrywide wide union of the center parties against the socialists and communists on one hand and the extreme reactionaries reactionarIes on the other To Americans the scheme is so reasonable and logical that few lew can understand the difficulties The prin prin- principal principal principal cipal obstacle is the religious issue This is a question of very little practical practical Ucal application today but for genera genera- generations generations dons It has been ten the battle ground of French politics and the parties more by force of habit than anything else are arc reluctant to give it up Tardieu hopes to solve the religious question by ignoring it it placing placing- all 1111 his emphasis on financial and indus indus- industrial industrial industrial trial reconstruction Largely on the success of his ef efforts ef- ef efforts efforts forts during the next few months depends the question of a continuance continuance continuance ance of the existing Franco Ameri can cordiality c |
