Evening star., 1946-06-04
Blum BIames Defeat
Of French Socialists
To Exposed Position
BY the Assoeioisd Press

PARIS, June 4.-The Socialist de-
feat In Sundays election was the
natural but unjust" result of the
party's assumption of major re.
sponsibility in the last government
Leon Blum said today.
Despite the Socialists courage
steadfastness and loyalty" they
reaped the voters blame for taking
the most exposed ministries" Mr.
Blum wrote in lie Populaire.
With returns still lacking from
some colonies, the standing among
the major parties for the 562 seats
in the Constituent Assembly was
Popular Republican Movement
CMRP), 1872, gain Of IL; Com.
munists, 149, a loss of 10; Socialists
127, a loss of 10, with losses and
gains figured on the October voting
Reds Increased Popular Vote.
The missing returns would not
change perceptibly the percentage
Of votes garnered by the parties
MRP, %; Communists, 25; Social
lists, 81.
Despite their loss of position as
Frances largest party, the Com
munists increased their popular
vote total and interpreted the elec-
ton as a victory for them against
the anti i-Communist campaign which
preceded the voting.
The Communists, with their solid
proved party, repelled the assault by
the reactionaries," said the party
organ, 'Humanite. The Socialists
lost. Let us unite and there will be
no more losses like that"
The victorious MRP party re-
manned silent on whether it would
demand the presidency of the gov
ernment for its most outstanding
leader-Foreign Minister Georges
Bidault. The party Executive Com
mittee confined itself to a state
ment that, 'in the face of govern
ment tasks necessary to assure the
life Of France and its economic re-
covery, the Popular Republican
Movement will know how to face the
responsibilities with which the con-
fidence of the nation has invested
it."
Diplomatic officials in Washington
said today the French election re-
suits will strengthen Frances polit-
ical and economic ties with the
United States and Britain.
While this country maintained
strict ofiicial silence, Government
off1cials expressed keen satisfaction
privately at the emergence of the
middle-of -the-road MRP as the
strongest party in France at the
expense Of the Communists.
American officials generally have
enjoyed cordial relations with For
eign Minister Bidault, head of the
MRP. They say, sowever, that up
to now Mr.. Bidault frequently has
been handicapped in the Allied
Council of Foreign Ministers be-
cause he represented a government
in which the Communists-not his
own party-were the most powerful
element.
Economic Link Seen.
NAei1 AAAs oWAA E>oA W AL CllC 1lulllUCl
one spot Mr.. Bidault now will be
able to take a stronger stand on
most issues, these officials believe
They are confident that stand gen.
orally will be with the United States
and Britain, where important diff
ferences with Russia are concerned
On the economic side, American
officials believe the MRP-Never
as impatient as the Communists
and Socialists to nationalize French
industries-will try to promote trade
policies more nearly in line with
those advocated by this country
France, like Britain, is pledged
to an all-out collective attempt to
eliminate international trade bar
riers, as outlined in the American
white paper" on trade. This pledge
was part of the economic agreement
signed last week under which the
United States will extend a credit
Of nearly 81, 400, ,ooO, 900 to France.