Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-06-15
France Awaits Speech
BY Gen. de GouIIe
War Leader Believed Beginning
New Phase of Political Life
By Perfnar

New Phase of Political Life
By Perfinar
PARIS, June is CBy Radio).-A
new phase in the political life Of Gen.
Charles de Gaulle will begin tomorrow
when he delivers his long-anticipated
speech on national affairs.
Since last January, De Gaulle has led
life of seclusion and no authoritative
word has come from him on men and
events connected with the national and
world scene. Henceforward, however, he
will have to be reckoned with as an &C
tive force and possibly the decisive force
in French politics.
This does not mean that De Gaulls
intends to take part in the day-to-day
controversies now confronting the ma.
ton. For instance, he is sure to remain
severely aloof from the dreary business
OF creating cabinet, which bids fair to
keep the politicians here all agog in the
immediate future. He will take care to
shun all connection with the Republican
popular party wherein SO many Of his
ardent friends have gathered. In like
manner he will avoid the Socialists.
But, once cabinet of some kind has
been set up, the attention of ministers
and members of the Constituent Assem-
bly, alike will turn to the task of re-
drafting the constitutional bill which
Jared SO badly at the hands of the
electors last May 5. At that time, De
Gaulle may come forward with some
ideas OF his own.
Agreement Possible.
It IS within the cards that De Gaulle
will give the nation a hint of what he
has in mind on this subject. Even today,
there Is general belief that the So
cialists, the members of the Republican
popular party, and the Communists will
not find it too difficult to reach an
agreement on a revised version of the
constitutional bill and that some mod
crate bargaining will be enough to
bring about result satisfactory to all,
When De Gaulle retired from the
presidency of the provisional govern.
ment last January the only explanation
he would give to his friends was that
-'> NAN law VIC kOScI
functions could be discharged efficiently
under the conditions OF party strife
now existing. From such words the
e inference was drawn that De Gaulle
felt he had no ability to rule his coun-
trymen except under such extraordi-
nary circumstances as would make for
national unity. But another interpre-
tation Is now held more accurate.
According to this construction De
Gaulle considers that the mere fact
that single assembly is vested not
only with total legislative power. but
also with q good deal of executive
authority, is, since parliamentary COM
missions may interfere at every turn
with ministerial action, bound to deprive
the cabinet of all continuity of purpose
and thus, to great extent, to sterilize
French policy. Either the French con-
stltutlonal pattern will be brought
nearer to the British or American de-
sign-in its way each has been devised
to make reality of political leadership
Or the French nation will have TO suf-
fer endlessly from the slipshod methods
of government now in full swing here.
The next referendum on the consti-
tutional issue is likely to take place in
October. At the beginning of the year
De Gaulle deemed it wise to refrain
from entering the ring where the battle
around the constitution was about to
begin. 1t would seem today, though, that
the time is drawing near when he will
speak out.