THE FRENCH CRISIS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 305, 23 November 1945, Page 4

THE FRENCH CRISIS.

In its attempts to dictate the manner in which General de Gaulle would form his new Cabinet the French Communist Party

was responsible for a very serious political crisis which has now been solved. The French leader ' was • given a unanimous mandate to form a Government during a most difficult transitional period. There are still many thousands of French prisoners and workers in Germany and not until they return can a National Assembly be elected. In the interval France has to be governed and General ed Gaulle was confronted, with a difficult problem when the Communists made their demand for one of the key portfolios. He rightly refused and resigned rather than submit. The three portfolios were the Foreign Office, War, and the Ministry of the Interior, turd either of them would have given the Communists a predominant position in the -Cabinet. They are the strongest of the three main parties, but very little superior in numbers to the Popular Republicans and the Socialists. They look to Moscow for inspiration and support the Russian blpc, while General de Gaulle desires to keep France independent of both Russian and Anglo-Saxon countries. His offer to give "other portfolios consistent with the party’s strength was brushed aside. There was a strong motive behind the Communist demand, for control either of foreign affairs, the Army, or the police and secret service is essential in the Communist ideal of 'government. General de Gaulle wants a Cabinet of unanimity and the Communists now have accepted the proposal for a three-Party Government under his direction,. General de Gaulle’s firm stand must add to his prestige.