| Description | A tree with a root that forms the word 'franc' is running after a man [President de Gaulle] dressed in black with a beret on. In between them is an axe.
In April 1969 another Les Gibbard cartoon had portrayed the same man and tree, this time with the root that spelt 'franc' anchored firmly into the ground, and de Gaulle looking thoughtfully at an axe labelled 'NO' and a watering can labelled 'YES'. This was in reference to a referendum in 1969 in which de Gaulle had told the French people to vote for his proposals to abolish the senate and reorganize regional government - or he would stand down. This referendum folowed the student riots of 1968 which had been backed by strike action by half the workforce. In the referendum 53% rejected de Gaulle's proposals. (Source: Gibbard's Double Decade Omnibus). |