FRENCH LABOUR AND SOVIET

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25739, 26 February 1949, Page 7

FRENCH LABOUR AND SOVIET

COMMUNIST LEADER’S DECLARATION

STATEMENT REFERRED TO PUBLIC PROSECUTOR

( N .Z.P.A.—Reuter—Copyright) PARIS, February 24. “The workers of France and the friends of peace will do everything to render war against the Soviet Union, not just difficult, but impossible,” said the Communist deputy and leader of the Communist Party, Mr Maurice Thorez, in the National Assembly today. He added that there was, at this time, a new threat of war—a war prepared cleverly by the Imperialist Powers, a war in which France was asked to be the ally of Germany and Spain. Mr Thorez repeated the statement he made earlier this week, that should the Soviet Army come to France the French workers would behave towards it as the workers of Poland and Rumania had done. He spoke after a call by a Right Wing deputy, Mr Pierre Andre, that the French Government should outlaw the Communist Party. When the speaker (Mr Edouard Herriot) asked if the House wanted an immediate discussion on Mr Thorez’s speech, 550 deputies rose in their seats in affirmation. Mr Thorez added that the capitalist countries were engaged again in a fight for overseas markets which would inevitably lead to war unless the people of the world reacted. “Whatever be the final form of the Atlantic Pact, there will be a leaselend programme of armaments to Western Europe, .which means that military bases against Russia will be set up from Norway to Turkey,” he said. “We believe that the American people do not want war. It is their administrators who have made the choice.” Refetring to “numerous air. naval, and military bases” which he said would be allotted to the United States on French territory, especially in Morocco, Mr Thorez said: “We are actually witnessing a foreign invasion of France.” All except the Communist benches loudly protested against this statement. Mr Thorez said that the French people believed a French-Russian alliance to be the surest guarantee of French independence and freedom. The Prime Minister of France (Dr. Queuille) told the National Assembly that the statement by Mr Thorez, that if the Soviet Army came to France the French workers would behave towards it as did the workers of Poland and Rumania, had been sent to the Public Prosecutor’s office. Dr. Queuille made it clear that it was now up to the law officers to decide whether to take any action. The Prime Minister warned the Communists that the Government would not tolerate any camnaign to demoralise the- Army. He added that after three years of Communist agitation confidence had now returned to the country. The Communists were less able to exploit economic discontent. and were therefore looking for new means of continuing their “iniquitous nrnnaganda.” Dr. Oueuill*' said France would welcome anv military aid the United States might send as a consequence of the signing of the Atlantic Pact.