Evening star., 1947-05-03
By Constantine Brown
Siar Foreign Affairs Analyst !.

The French cabinet crisis preSages
an era of political strife in France,
| the consequences of which are un-
predictable.
The real reason for the break
between the scholarly Premier, Paul
Ramadier, and the Communists,
who control rs per cent Of Frances
labor and have their tentacles into
all phases of Frances life, is that
the latter believe the time has come
to create political chaos out Of
economic chaos.
Political forecasters in Paris have
predicted this situation for a year.
The Communists in the government
their leader is Vice Premier Maui
rice Thorez-have given sufficient
indication that they will no longer
support the coalition government.
The chief criticism of the Com
munists has been the government
colonial policy. Since open rebellion
broke out in Indo-China. new out
bursts have occurred in other French
colonies. The Madagascar rebellion,
according to the French government,
was instigated by Madagascar's
representatives in the National
Assembly. These men were arrested
in spite of their parliamentary
immunity.
Arrests Illegal Reds Protest.
This show of strength by the Paris
government caused a major contro-
versy in the French cabinet. The
Communists protested that the ar
rests were illegal, although the gov
ernment produced ample proof that
the native parliamentarians had
urged overt acts against the republic.
Reports from Algeria and Tunisia
showed that an open rebellion
against the government was being
planned by Communists in both ter
ritories. Mr.. Ramadier, after being
prodded by non-C Communist mem
bers of his cabinet, decided y to
strengthen the military forces. This
the Communists opposed on the pre-
text that France could not be an
imperialist power.
In order to avoid public resent
ment against a Communist policy
which might end with the loss of
Frances bread basket, Mr.. Thorez
and his associates decided to make
an issue of pay raise for the work.
ers, an issue which is always popu-
lar with a large section of the
French public.
1t is highly improbable that any
French political figure will be able
to form a durable cabinet-assum-
ing that Mr.. Ramadier is defeated
in the vote of confidence or resigns.
The dilemma in which the French
find themselves is that a govern
ment without the Communists can
not survive, even as long as that OF
Mr.. Ramadier, since nobody can ig-
more the strong Communist parlia-
mentary group which will fight any
administration from which 1t Is ex-
cluded.
Reds Can Call Strikes.
Besides carrying on opposition in
the Assembly, the Communists are
In a position to call partial or gen.
.eral strikes anytime they want to
do so. Moreover, they have a pri-
vate military force estimated at be-
tween 10000 and $4,000 men. all we'll
equipped and trained for insurrec-
tions within the country and under
the command of Jacques Marty, the
former naval of1icer who led the
1919 mutiny of the French fleet in
the Black Sea.
II Mr. .Ramadier leaves the pre-
miership 1t is expected that he will
be succeeded temporarily by his for
eign minister. Georges Bidault, who
indicated while he was still In Mos
cow for the recent conference that
he would be willing to form a stop
gap cabinet.