INTO “SMOKE”

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 424, 4 May 1937, Page 6

INTO “SMOKE”

FIERY CROSS CHIEF ( Fascist Warns President Paiis, April 15. Colonel Francios de La Rocque, military Rightist leader, accused the Front Government of “perseciriion,” amid reliable reports that the authorities were about to hale him to Court on charges of reviving his illegal “Croix de Feu’’ organisation. A spokesman for him declared the expected issuance of a. summons for La Rocque was part of a “plan to blame him for a, Communist upris- ' ing.” If charges were filed he might .’ace a prison term of four years. La Rocque, after delivering a warning” to President Albert Lebrun and the People’s Front Go verm meat, went into seclusion to map out a defence with his lawyers. Investigating Magistrate. Beteille, a reliable informant declared, probably will sign sa summons ordering La Rocque to appear in police court to face trial on the accusation that his French Social party is nothing more than the “Croix de Feu” league in disguise. The “Crqik de Feu” (Fire Crosses) was disbanded by the Government last year because of its semi-mi]it|ary character, but La Rocque was permitted to reorganise his followers l in what he declared was merely a political party. The Rightist chieftain has been under investigation by the Government since last autumn, when his followers clashed with Leftists several times at. places outside Paris. Disorders flared ago in when members of the Social party and police, battle with Communists in suburban Cl.nchy in France's worst rioting in three yelars—a struggle that left five. Leftists dead and about 300 persons injured. La. Rocque, aroused to anger by the Government’s suppress io i Of Rightist party meetings as a result of the rioting, asserted that “iyrannk cal acts" against liis- plarty might arouse “immense uprisings.” That warning caused Premier Leon fiiuip to strengthen Paris defences to-day by the addition of detachments of mobile guards' from the provinces.