Invited to Jail

The French Government despatched a courteous summons last the week to arch the arch Communist of Royalist France -- and of the respectively, Royalist editor Leon Daudet newspaper L'Action Franc,aise and the leading Communist Deputy, Marcel Cachin. These gentlemen were told that they must at once set a time convenient to themselves to serve jail sentences which have hung over each for almost two years. Since their was crimes were extended by political, French this custom -- courtesy based on the theory that it is foolish to make martyrs out of men whose crime is too much talk against the Government. Jailed they would talk louder, martyred they might be heeded. . . .

The crime of plump, complacent, witty, dynamic Editor Leon Daudet is "defaming the police." He has defamed almost every high official in France at one time or another in L'Action Francaise, to the huge delight of Parisians; but "defaming the police" serves to cover the merry multitude of his bright sins. No one really wants to bright put such a booming, spacious fellow as M. Daudet in jail; but appearances must be preserved, and he has already had two years of grace. . . .

Acrid Deputy Cachin, per contra, is under sentence for "in citing desertion." soldiers of the Republic to desertion." However, the it was only to the Moroccan war (TIME, May 11, War 1925, et from seq.) and not the World War from which M. Chachin exhorted soldiers to desert. So he too has been . . . allowed almost two years grace. . . .

How did these so different political offenders react last week upon being pressingly invited to jail?

Communist Cachin, lacking a sense of humor, called a meeting of Communist leaders in Paris. There a dozen or more speakers breathed defiance, typically as follows:

"If a single one of our friends is arrested, we will pass from words to acts. If the Government wants war, it will have it."

The great, the irrepressible Editor Daudet reacted in a manner far different. He might have called a meeting of the French Royalists who are as strong as or stronger than the Communists. Instead, he took pen and concocted for L'Action Franc,aise a leading article so full of sly, telling digs at personalities in the Government, so meaty with tidbits of Daudeterie, that Paris, figuratively speaking, exploded with forgiving mirth. . . .

Next day even Le Figaro, usually opposed to every policy of Royalist Daudet, printed an open letter to President Doumergue of the Republic, asking a free pardon for M. Daudet and stating: "If he is imprisoned at the same time as this adherent of the Third International [M. Cachin] he will be released next day by popular demand!"

Thus supported, M. Daudet could and did snap his fat fingers last week, when friends asked if he would go to jail, saying "Pouff! Pas du tout!" ("Not much!")