POLITICIANS AND PROFESSIONALS

The result of the May 11 elections surprised many people who had neither the same desire nor the same hope.

Having disappointed the supporters of national harmony, he naturally delighted the politicians who strive to satisfy, in the struggle of parties, their interests and their ambition.

But above all it greatly surprised some who, flattering themselves to escape political passion, followed with disdainful detachment the evolution, which they said was profound and sincere, of the trends of universal suffrage.

The day before the election, again, they affirmed that politics would be, by the voter, relegated to second place, and that concern for professional interests would determine, if not exclusively, at least primarily, the choice of their candidates. The event dealt a decisive blow to these conjectures. Almost everywhere, professional candidates, outgoing deputies or others, have failed. Is this a good thing to rejoice in, or an evil to deplore? In any case, it is a fact that it would be futile to deny.

Excellent farmers, qualified above all to defend the interests of the peasant, asked their fellow citizens of all opinions, but belonging to the profession, to count on a program excluding problems of pure politics. They were not followed.

Savvy and well-known traders, inspired by the wishes formulated by committees and professional groups, agreed to remain or become candidates, to bring to Parliament the defense of their violently damaged cause. In many cases they lost the positions they had acquired and did not gain any new ones.

Trader candidates and farmer candidates simply and solely obtained, without more, the votes which, apart from any professional thought, had to go to the list on which they were registered by virtue of political declarations which, out of necessary solidarity, they had approved and signed. And the number of these votes did not increase by those that these same candidates hoped would have to be specially allocated to them in the interest of professional defense.

The voting system did not even favor the professional candidate. The ability to mix and match has been used very little, and if erasures have occurred, it hardly appears that they have been made to the detriment of party members.

From this experience carried out in conditions particularly favorable to the manifestation of professional solidarity, what should we conclude? Otherwise nothing has changed in the area of ​​electoral matters.

The voter always goes to the representative of his political opinion and makes no serious concession to his professional interest. It is perhaps because, in certain political spheres, we had better understood this special psychology, that we tried to fight adversaries by disqualifying them by the accusation of hiding, under the label of professional defense , the sole concern for electoral purposes.

I have often heard brave citizens, gathered for specific professional purposes, say: “Be careful, they want to compromise you and drag you into politics. » And this advice, coming from frightened politicians, immediately threw into the soul of the voter a ferment of suspicion against which the reactions of logic, common sense and duty faithfully accomplished were exhausted in vain.

Was it not Waldeck-Rousseau, however, who addressed the men of the profession with these words: Play politics, or politics will be against you. » And wasn't it him again who affirmed that "politics is not a goal, and that it should not above all be a career", immediately adding: "Be convinced that the day when everyone will do of politics we will finally see the end of the era of politicians”?

It is truly singular to note that this disarmament of the will is taking place especially among the citizens most jealous of their independence and that the most serious arguments should, on the contrary, push to maintain their right to vote according to their views and their best interests. Understood.

However, we finally have to choose. By repeating the same mistakes, it is not certain that we always end up with the same results. However, those produced by the last election are, from an economic point of view, worrying enough for us to consider not perpetuating them...

I no longer remember who said that we are suffering from a crisis of will, but not of good will. The goodwill of the French farmer, trader, and more generally the producer and taxpayer is certain, immense, inexhaustible. But, she is sterile. It must be replaced by simple will, which will prepare the necessary changes in public opinion and give this country, which needs it so much and deserves it so much, social and moral balance, a guarantee of national vitality and economic prosperity. .

Tomorrow, the reasons for wanting will be even more numerous and more pressing. Let us accept today the task that our conscience imposes on us.

VICTOR CONSTANT, former deputy for Haute-Loire, deputy president of the General Confederation of French Commerce and Industry