Evening star., 1947-10-21
Gen. De 6auI|e Holds
Steady Lead as Count
|0f Votes Goes Slowly
BY fhe Associated Press

oe .Gaule new anJl-COmmun1St
Party, the rally of the French
people (RPF), held a steady lead
over all other parties today as
the count of votes in Sundays
municipal elections proceeded
slowly.
Frenchmen, convinced that some
thing would be changed as result
Of the election, awaited a scheduled
declaration from the general tomor-
row for possible hint as to how
he intends to exploit his victory.
With .6,6S0,806 of an estimated
25,000,00o votes counted this far,
the standing was:
RPF-1,631. .311 votes of 331 per
cent: RPF-headed coalitions. 272 2565
votes or SIS per cent: De Gaulle' s
total, 38.6 per cent.
mmunists-1, ,442,94l votes, 29.3
per cent.
So0alists-703,94l votes, 14.3 per
cent, Socialist-headed coalitions.
3S,304 votes, 0.S per cent; Socialist
total. ISL per cent,
Popular Republican Movement
(MRP)-499,5 ,539 votes, 1912 per cent.
Other parties-337,852 votes, e.s
per cent.
The tally showed l,755,25s alb
stentions.
Changes Are Expected.
Frenchmen are sure that the re-
emergence of Gen. de Gaulle as
one of the top political figures in
France means some changes are
going to be made.
One change already was evident
and many Frenchmen attributed
it to Gen. de Gaulle's victory
Parisians woke up TO find their buses
and subways running on schedule
after having been strikebound for
a week. The strike was settled
last night.
This work stoppage has been de-
picted as struggle between the
non-Communist government OF
France and Communicated labor
unions. Positions of both the gov
ernment and the Communists were
said to have been weakened by Gen
de Gaulle's demonstration of
+, strength, although the Communists
did not actually lose any backing
TAT the ballot boxes. And this was
held by some to have been a factor
in settlement of the strike.
The Communists, in an appeal
published today in their party organ
'Humanite. called for a merger OF
Communists and Socialists ito save
France from Caesarism and adven-
ture, and insure her full national
independence"
The appeal said the Communist
Party and the Socialist Party repre-
sent more than half of the elector-
ate," and IF united will group all
republicans, and together they could
play a decisive part in the trend OF
French policy"
1t called on "all workers and all
democrats to realize their unity" tc
defeat reaction and prevent the
elections OF RPF municipalities.
Further municipal balloting will be
held next Sunday. The Commu-
nists, with 20 per cent of last Sun
days votes counted, had 30.65 pei
cent of the popular vote: the Social
! lists 1875 per cent, total of SOLE
per cent.
Andre Malraux, an RPF leader anc
a former minister, said recently that
Gen. De Gaulle would resume the
power he relinquished in January
l946, only after a referendum
changes the constitution. He made
that statement lin reply to a pre-.
election question as to whether Gen
De Gaulle would accept the pre-.
miership If it was offered to him.
Gen. De Gaulle has said repeated,
that he does not like the present
French constitution because it gives
too little power to the executive
Hanche of the government.
RPF Wins 50 Paris Seats.
That was one of the purposes OF
the RPF, which he began organizing
last April. Sunday, competing in q
French election for the first time, the
new party carried such important
centers as Bordeaux, Marseille ano
Strasbourg, as well as Paris, where
the generals brother is slated tc
become Mayor.
Complete returns in Paris gave
the RPF So of the 80 seats on the
Paris Municipal Council. The
Communists won Is, the Socialists
l8 and the Popular Republican
Movement S.
There was some speculation that
President Vincent Auriol might ask
Gen. De Gaulle to form a cabinet
if the coalition cabinet of Socialist
Premier Paul Ramadier should
collapse.
The Paris transport strike ended
on guarantee from the govern