Evening star., 1947-01-23
bidaultbei Given
Almost Free Hand in
Moscow Big 4 ParIey
BY ths Associated Press

PARIS, Jan. 23.-GeorgeS b.
dault. back in his old post of
Foreign Minister. was reported
today to have been promised
virtually a free hand at the
Moscow conference in a deal
which brought his Popular Re-
publican Movement (MRP) into
the new French cabinet.
Premier Paul Ramadier. Socialist.
formed the six-party cabinet last
night after five days of negotiation
toward permanent setup to replace
the all-Socialist 30-day interim gov
ernment OF Leon Blum.
This step completed Frances poll
tical reconstruction under the con-
stitution for the Fourth Republic,
approved by voters last October, and
gave the country full constitutional
setup- executive, parliamentary and
judicial-for the first time in seven
years.
S Communists Get Posts.
The cabinet is made up of nine
Socialists, five Communists. five
members Of the MRP, five members
Of the Leftist Rally (the Radical
Socialists and the Democratic and
Socialist Union of Resistance) and
two Independent Republicans.
Mr.. Bidault will speak for France
at the Big -Four Foreign Ministers
meeting in Moscow, scheduled for
March 10. Political circles said he
had q promise that he could act
in the drafting of treaties with
Germany and Austria without con-
stantly calling Paris for instructions.
They said he had extracted this
promise in return for persuading his
party to enter q coalition cabinet
including Communists in high posi-
tions. Last night the MRP's parlia-
mentary group voted a resolution
calling on party leaders to quit the
cabinet IF the governments policy
does not conform to that outlined
by the Premier"
Mr.. Bidault has been Foreign Min
lister ever since Frances liberation,
except for the 80 days the Socialists
held power.
Approved by Assembly.
Mr.. Ramadier formed the new
cabinet on the commission Of Social
ist President Vincent Auriol and
with the approval Of the National
Assembly, where the Communists,
MRP and Socialists rank one, two,
three in strength.
The Communists, Frances biggest
single party, hold as many posts in
the cabinet as the MRP. Maurice
Thorez Is vice premier, Francois
Billoux, Minister of National De-
fense and other Communists hold
the Labor, Health and Reconstruc-
ton Ministries.
Their actual power, however. was
questionable, because the Socialists
kept for themselves the key post Of
Minister of the Interior, which con-
trolls the police. This went to Edou-
ard Depreux.
In addition, the National Defense
minister's powers were diluted by
creation of ministries for war, navy
and air, which went to parties other
than the Communists.
Monet Keeps Colonial Ministry.
Besides getting the Foreign Min
istry, the MRP placed Robert Schu-
man in the powerful post of Minister
of Finance and other party members
in the Ministries OF War and Com
merce. The party's Pierre-Henri
Teitgen became a vice premier.
Marius Moutet, Socialist Colonial
Minister, was retained in that post.
This was seen as evidence that the
new government intended to stand
on his declaration on his recent
return from Indo-C China that peace
between the French and Wet
Namese there could come only after
a military decision.
Leadership of the Fourth Republic
now is: -.
President of the republic-Vincent
Auriol. 81, Socialist. e.
Premier-Paul Ramadier, So, So
cialiSt.
President (Speaker) of the Ma
tional Assembly (the Lower House
of Parliament)--Edouard Herriot,
"a, Radical Socialist.
President of the Council Of the
Republic (the Upper House)-Au-
guste Champetier de Ribes, GA, MRP