Letter from Gabriel Dessus
of the 3 October 1936
6724
Letter from Gabriel Dessus written from France to my parents in Argentina during the troubled times of 1936. They had sent their 2 elderly children (born in 21 and 22) , François and Michel continued their studies in Paris , hosted by their grandmothers.
These letters clearly show the clarity of "Tonton Gaby" and his ability to analyze complex situations and draw conclusions which, after all, seemed to be common sense. At the time the conclusions were not obvious.
My dear Jean - We went before last night Mom (Granny Cordelle) And I'm at Mrs. Hausermann's. (my other grandmother) to discuss the question posed by your letter. You will have two more accounts of our interview – which will allow you to reconstruct the atmosphere.
There is a clear first point on which we are all absolutely agreed: if after reading our letters and thinking about the various hypotheses, you have any doubt and concern about the safety of your children, then you can only make a final decision, and neither of us will be able to take responsibility for ensuring the future under the present conditions.
It is very difficult for us to make a sound opinion for ourselves; I give you the elements as I see them below.
There has been no drop of blood in France so far; if we look back to the prewar eras (Draveil's strikes, railway strikes, etc., disturbances in wine-growing regions, mutinies of troops, etc.), we will consider the current period as free from unrest; only the total absence of strikes and social conflicts that marked the crisis of recent years gives prominence to the current conflicts.
In the opposite direction, it should be noted that the action of the Communist Party has developed fairly widely under the cover of the popular front; it is not doubtful that a large number of sheep and people who want to be on the side of the next round have evolved in this direction.
The Communist Party has done everything it can to facilitate this development; it has multiplied the reassuring statements, since Thorez's intervention in June, to declare that it is necessary to stop a strike until the annexation of the most militant patriotism, passing through the proposals of the "French front" and the advances made to Catholics. And it does not seem necessary to hide that on the day when they believe they can take power, the Communists would not retreat from the choice of means; I do not know what to think of J. Bardoux's revelations in the Paris Review on the planned communist coup d'état in June, and the information that Gringoire gives periodically on the plans of the Third International with regard to France; but I doubt that any confidence should be given to Thorez's reassuring statements and others;
In the face of this, there are a few but very "inflated" Roque troops (which are still serving and will continue to serve to maintain the cohesion of the popular front).The Doriot party seems to have been successful – and the fact that the country's general opinion is not communist (which is expressed by the resistance of the Senate, etc.; but it must be admitted that the general views have always been violated by the active minorities).
If the question of force were to be reached, there would have to be some weapons on both sides (there have certainly been arms distributions for some time), but all this would not weigh on the means available to the police and the army. However, while it can be admitted that the Parisian police have some "popular front" sympathies, there is nothing to suggest that they are ready for a communist coup; and if we can admit that Pierre Cot (the Minister of the Air of the Popular Front) There is no way Daladier's sympathies could be said, and there is no way that the army would follow his leaders.
Finally, it seems to me that the vast majority of French people understand that a civil war is in itself an atrocious thing (Spain's experience) and that under the current conditions of Europe it would be immediate foreign war – something that should not be overlooked in your plans; the risk of war may be, at one year's notice, higher than the risk of revolution.
Personally, I believe that internal disturbances up to the partial riot are possible; but I do not believe in generalisation.
Now we must measure what children, living in Passy's home and not going to political meetings, risk in there. They seem to me to have a very low chance of being "in the blow." (except for foreign war with bombing of Paris) and we must remember that Commune 71 has certainly killed far fewer people than an epidemic of influenza – and by far.
Moreover, it would be possible to send them to Vierville, assuming that they could be sent in time; Normandy is remarkably "fascist" and Madame Hausermann must have given you some details about the adventure of the sub-prefect of Bayeux and the attitude of your farmers. (I don't know what it was)
I suggest a solution: if you didn't have an absolute objection to boarding school, you could look for a college of the open air – like Les Roches or others – where the children could continue their French studies, apparently sheltered from almost all the risks – all the risks I was talking about above seem essentially Parisian to me - I don't know anything about the possible colleges, but I think if you were considering this, we could find out, go and see in the car and find it quickly enough. In the same vein, one could envisage a Geneva institute or elsewhere in Switzerland – but that would seem to me both too far and too little – too far from French studies, and too far from France.
These are the elements of reflection I can give you; I hope I have not underestimated the risks; but I do not think I can conceal that the general atmosphere does not reflect at all the concern that your letters showed.
Don't hesitate to ask us for information or research in the direction I suggest or in any other direction; I understand too well where you are so far away to be at your disposal.
The best solution was found by François.. they only have to come back!. . . It is the grace I wish you –
I'm both lovingly kissing you.
Gabriel Dessus