goods of others, because they tion than the citizens of a want to get rich quiokly at democratio republie. We prethe expense of others. They fer the iron-grey uniforms of are animated not by a hatred the red guards of the Rubr to of the bourgeoisie, but by a the sky-blue of the French jealous rage that the bour- Army. Were these things geoisie does not consist of them not said and written we should and them alone. The vilest hesitate to believe them posof them, such as M. Cachin, sible. The Russian terror has proclaim aloud their hatred of taught the miscreants nothing, France. They are solid, they and when we remember that tell us, with their German the “proletariat" everywhere oomrades; they are the enemies consists of Jew millionaires, of the French bourgeois ; they half-baked intellectuals, and delight to deafen the French their dupes, we recognise how patriots with the ory of “Long difficult it is to bring about live Germany! Long live Ger- a better state of things. M. many, red, communist, and Caohin doesn't matter in the sovietist!"

long-run-the Jew millionaire Had we not heard the same passes away with his stolen ory

at home might money - bags, but the dapes hesitate to believe that it remain. From them we canwould be raised by a Frenoh- not withhold a certain pity. man who had watohed for They know not what they do four years the sad history of or say. They suffer legs from the war. But the ineffable malevolence than from M. Caohin leaves as no room subtly inooulated disease. for doubt. He goes beyond They are the viotims of a the worst of oar sooundrels, suggestion, the more dangerous inspired though they be by because the vote has given them the Jews of Russia. “We a power which they only half are revolutionaries"-these are comprehend. We asked his exact words, -"once more highly-cultivated Frenchman, we proclaim aloud : the workers who stands far aloof from have no fatherland, and we political parties, to what he know well that this formula set down the spiritual unrest is true. Though we live in of his countrymen, and this is Paris, all our thoughts, all what he told us in reply. our hopes, all our hearts are “Nothing is to be done,” said in Germany-down there, in he, "by doles or concessions to the basin of the Ruhr, where satisfy the working olasses. the German people is fighting They have more money than for liberty.

Above parties, they want, and less werk than above fatherlands, there is they oan do with ease and the working class. Wherever comfort. The one thing they a proletariat is fighting for need is a change of heart and communism there is a brother, mind, and this change cannot and we would rather be the be attained without & ostassoldiers of a world-wide revola- trophe. It took four years of

8

are

war and the loss of 2,000,000 hazards be anti-olerical, it lives to send Franoe baok upon follows that they are very the road of faith. How great often Jews. At any rate, their a tragedy will be necessary to sympathies are all with the show her the path leading to capital, and they do their best toil and prosperity! And the to force a false aniformity worst is that the politicians do apon the great country towns not want to see a ohange of of France. Wbat is happen. mind and heartThey prefering in Alsace to-day is typioal the state of flux in whioh their of the system, which never constituents are kept by dis- was justified save by the oontent and anrest. The voters, genius of Napoleon. The they think, are more easily Alsatians, ardently French as managed when they are agi- they are, find their affeo. tated. So the ministers en- tions grow cold when they courage the Socialists, with asked to obey officials whom they have a lively sym- who understand neither their pathy, and allow the Anarchists wants nor their character, to atter whatever blasphemies If the French Government does against the State they are not take oare it may have, inounning enough toinvent. Thus stead of a loyal province, the men of sound opinion and another Ireland at its door, sinoere patriotism are exoladed simply beoause it refuses to altogether from the manage- acknowledge that what we call ment of affairs, and men of 'looal government'is the first the same type as Mr Lloyd necessity of the provinoes, that George are able to keep the a polioy of 'regionalism,' as it reins of power in their hands.” is oalled in Franee, alone can

Nor is this all that we restore to the old kingdoms learned from a oritio of French and duohies of France the old politios. “You must remember," life and the old spirit which he went on, “that the govern. were once their glory. Even ment, weakly as it discharges if Napoleon's system were a its duties, bas

very great system of strengtb, it has bepowers. Ever sinoe Napoleon come under the Republio a invented system, which system of weakness, and should worked well enough when con- be made an end of." trolled by an autoorat of And according to our oritio, genius, the Governments of the prevailing centralisation France have insisted upon more than anything else preordering all things from Paris. yents a change of mind and From Paris are sent the pre- heart in the French people. feots, who carry into the pro- “If you impose opon all men vinoes & complete ignorance the same method of life, the of provincial life and a com- game duties, you can keep plete subservienoe to the Gov. them more readily faithful to ernment which happens for the ballot-box. As the Roman the moment to be in power. Emperor wished tbat the Since the prefeots must at all people bad but one head that

VOL. CCVII.--NO, MCCLV.

are

he might out it off, so the de- Thus our French critic in magogue wishes that the people his oonolusion is frankly and might have but one opinion, openly & pessimist. In his that he may flatter it. And in pessimism we cannot agree. order that the voters may not Where a change of régime is win too large a share of in- possible the passage of the dependence, the Government years will show,

That & takes oare that they shall all change of régime in Franoe have precisely the same sort of need be bloody we do not tesohing. From the element- believe. The history of the ary school to the university all last hundred years is all in iastitutions under the favour of a quiet and peaceful thumb of the Government, revolution, When the Royal whioh decides what shall be ists succeeded to Napoleon, taught, and appoints the they succeeded with a triumphteachers. The school teachers ant tranquillity. Neither 1830 of France are Radioal Socialiste, nor 1848 caused the gutters of who prepare the voters for Paris to flow with blood, and their task of voting. The École the coup d'état of the third Normale is a hot-bed of revo- Napoleon was made with the lution, and even the Sorbonne sacrifice of nothing more than has beoome, under the control the pride of a few pretentious of the Government, a school of personages. We do not, thereanarohy. Obviously, if the fore, despair of such a change Government oontrols the uni. in the Government of France versities and gives professor as may restore a vivid life to ships as a reward for politioal the provinces, and may save a servioe, learning loses its worth great country from the dire and its independence. And the consequences of a lawless and worst of it is, that the Govern- godless demooraoy.

Meanment has oreated & vioious while, wish that our spider's web, from whioh the Government would recognise poor fly, the oitizen, oan never the harm that has been done esoape. The citizen gets his in Franoe by the pablio control opinion from the school or the of eduoation. The wish, we university controlled by the fear, is vain. The ambition of State; he renders his allegiance Messrs George and Fisher is to the State, which has made far greater than their care him what he is. Where is the for England. And if they possibility of escape? Nowhere, see politioal profit in subordisave in a change of régime. nating the interests of learn. And how oan this change being to the exigence of the brought about? Only by the ballot-box, then learning will bloodshed of a reactionary stand no chanoe at all.

& revolution. There is nothing, Meanwhile there are signs therefore, to be done. France not a few that France undermust remain what she is to stands, more clearly than ever day - the poor victim of & she did, the problems which

we

was her press 80 well informed, fact that he was the son and so keen in its defence of of Lord Beaconsfield. Never the fatherland. There was a again shall we be told that Engtime, some twenty years ago, land had made an attack apon when the Frenoh press was a a group of islands called the strange mixture of violence and Minquièrs, the most of which frivolity. Side by side you are submerged at high tide. found every day in adjacent No editor would hold his place columns & rookless pamphlet for a week who had not a clear and a fine speoimen of what appreciation of what was hapwas oalled the esprit gaulois. pening in England and GerIn other words, Henri Roche- many and America. The taot fort jostled Armand Silvestre, and discretion with which the and both tastes were satisfied. late orisis was handled by the The newspapers were not then press of Paris is the best proof at the pains to colleot news, of the new spirit which is now nor to cheok the truth of guiding the country. The insuch

as by accident solenoe of Mr George, the oame to their offices. To-day tone, as of an asher, adopted all is changed, and changed, by Lord Carzon, would have may be, not always for the justified a quick irritation, if better. We shall always be- not an outburst of anger. Not lieve that the Journal of & a word was said which could quarter of a century ago, which have hurt the feelings of had no other purpose than to England, which, after all, deamuse, was the best paper of served no lenient treatment; its kind that ever smiled gaily not a word was written which upon the world. It did not did not tend to appeasement. add to our information; it did Here, then, is a hopeful sign not trouble to instruct the if not for the wit, at least for publio opinion of France. It the good understanding of the raised a laugh, and those who fature. And while we render read it passed on all the better, justice to the republioan press let us hope, for the jest. The of France, let us not forget the journals of this year, 1920, are admirable work which is done serious. It is not for them to to-day by L'Action Française, smile and to joke. The situa- the journal of the Royalists. tion is too grave for frivolity. Never was there a better oomThey prefer to preach, and it bination in the conduot of a must be allowed that they newspaper than MM. Charles preach with sound knowledge Maurras and Léon Daudet. and a good purpose. They M. Daudet is a pamphleteer of do not make the same ridicu. & oandid and fearless mind. If lous mistakes which

we would find his parallel in disgraced them. No French England we must compare him newspaper will declare again, with Mr Leo Maxge. The two as the Figaro once deola red, men are inspired equally with that the late Lord Salisbury a love of their oountry. Neither owed his skill in polioy to the cedes to the other in oourage

onoe

and honesty. Both suffer from does not show many sacrifices, the defeot of their quality-a complete and upgrudging, as kind of insistent fanatioism, was the sacrifice of M. Maurras. whioh sometimes weakens their The very fact of the saorifice

What the mandarins are adds weight to every word that to Mr Maxse, Caillaus is M. Maurras writes. We wish to M. Léon Daadet. And only that the Prince whom he it must be admitted that would put upon the throne M. Daudet pursues the more

more worthy his dangerous quarry. M. Maur- regard. We in England have ras is made of other stuff, as the misfortune to know a side M. Daudet would be the first of the Duo d'Orléans' oharto aoknowledge. He is & aoter which has escaped the politioal philosopher whose vigilance of M. Maurras. serious teaobing will never be However, he is a Legitimist, forgotten. He has a firm faith and must needs support the in the dootrine of tradition, Prince whom history has set and all that it means for the before him. And let it be reancient race of France. He membered that the principles sees olearly that the hope of of M. Maurras are not enhis oountry lies in a polioy of dangered by the failure or decentralisation, in the un- BUOOOns of the French mondoing of the harm which the arohy. L'Action Française systom of Napoleon did to fights the battle of France France. And as his opinions without regard to the political are always the opinions of a parties, which are the curse of bien-pensant, his expression of the country; and even if it did them is the work of an artist. not profess aloud the mon. He is a born man of letters, and archical prinoiple, it would had he not felt that his duty still fight with courage and lay apon the side of politios, pertinaoity the battle of he would have pursued his art patriotism. And it is in the in singleness of mind unto the career of MM. Maurras and end. But France was in need, Daudet, and not in the greedy and she called to him not in egoism of the Chamber, that vain. The history of literature the best hope of France lies.