Evening star., 1947-02-05

| FARlS tBy MalD 1t Is lmpOS-
sible to present a factual picture OF
France, which diplomats, politicians
and military men of all nations con-
slider to be the bridge between East
and West, without going into some
detail about the extraordinary
skillful work of the Communists.
One cannot talk for any time with
politicians, military leaders and bus
inessmen without hearing something
about the Communists and their re-
lentless activities.
This is equally true of the man In
the street who, for this reporter, is
a composite of small shopkeepers
taxi drivers, walters and maids in
restaurants and hotels as well as the
sulky patrons of the bistros, where
a wholly unsatisfactory meal costs
$2.75 with francs bought on the Of
ficial exchange, or $1.20 black mar
ket.
I had grown somewhat weary OF
this subject at home and had hoped
to get a rest from it in France. But
it is as inescapable as the weather
1t is brought into every conversation
by those who carefully point out that
the future of the country is bound
up in it.
Everywhere one hears 1t said that
something must happen soon to
burst the spreading Communist ab-
scess, or the weakness of the govern
ing classes and the indifference of
the United States will throw France
completely into the arms of Com
munism.
The following details were OBJ
tanned from many different quarters
and are reported here after. a COM
plete check of their accuracy. Z
In the last election the voting
strength of the Communist party
was 100000, but the actual mem
bership of the party is slightly over
100000. The one millionth party
membership card was presented with
appropriate ceremony last Septem-
ber by Maurice Thorez, secretary
general of the party.
In country as chauvinistic and
nationalistic as France used to be,
it is noteworthy that some of the
most important figures In the par
ty are deserters from the armed
forces. The tough head of the
Communist Bureau Politique, Is a
former naval officer, Jacques Mar
ty, who led the mutiny of the
French fleet in the Black Sea in
1919. After the mutiny failed he
took refuge in Russia, where he re-
manned until 1912. Then he went
to Algiers under Russian protection
and became one of Gen. Charles de
Gaulle's advisers.
Although there was death SEN
tence-pronounced after trial in
acknowledgements him, Mr.. Marty
was not compelled to go through
even the formality of court mar
tial to clear himself. With Mos
cows support he returned to France
and went to work as a party Or
GAMER. He had all the immunity
of true patriot.
| 4S4l. 4liOACG, WAISOC RS(CktAOai IA SAAC
French Communist Party is COM
parable to that of Prime Minister
Stain before he became a generals
simo and actual head of the gov
ernment, is also a deserter. He was
called to the colors in 1899 as re-
serve officer, but left the country
and made his way to Moscow be-
fore the Nazis brought France to
her knees in 1910.
Apology For Desertion.
A French communism" equiv.
alent of our fellow traveler) ex-
planned that Mr.. Thorez had NJ
alternative but to desert. He ap.
parently knew the Germans wer,
ready to move on France ir
strength "a fact apparently un-
known to the French general staff
and got out while the getting was
good.
If Mr.. Thorez stayed in the army
my French informant told me, hi