FRANCE'S FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 82, 30 December 1937, Page 6

FRANCE'S FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY

Discovery in France of a widespread, powerfnlly organised Fascist plot to overtlirow the Government again focuses attention on democracy's struggle for preservation. The forces of the Fascist Right in France are weakcr than in Spain. The soldiers of the French Army are traditionally Republican. Democracy in France has proved its vitality many tirnes. Yet testimony by Andre Tardien in a recent trial indicated that many of the most powerful interests in France had suppprted movements hostile to the democratic form of government. The recent declaration of the Count of Paris, pretender to the French throne, that he wonld work actively for the restoration shows that one section of the Right believes itself strong enough to come ont into the open, The discovery of huge stores of munitions, underground fortifications and battle plans indicates that the struggle for power was not expected to follow parliamentary lines. However, the French people seem not to be forgetting that discoveries of plots against the Republic can usually be turned to good acconnt by any Government in power. Circumstances at present within the Popnlar Front probably will encourage the Government to make the most of its discovery. The Government may be expected to take effeetive steps against the plotters and their plot. But this seems hardly likely to settle France 's problem, for the country is faced with the three-sided conflict between Democracy, Fascism and Communism which has spread aeross so much of the world, The answer may lie in the present course of the Chautempts Government, which is steering a course moderately satisfying to both Left and Right.