Evening star., 1947-01-29
By Constantine Brown

Dy SOnStontUS pIoWH
PARIS (By MaiD Frances
new government is presided over
by Paul Ramadier, a scholarly
gentleman who weighs 23O
pounds and whose only recre-
alton is reading texts on Roman
law. He was intruSted with
the formation of a new cabinet
because he is considered in
nocuous by the warning political
French factions.
But all French politicians agree
on one point: 1t does not matter who
the Premier is or what he intends te
do. The Communists are so strongly
entrenched that they are really the
dominating factor in the country
and can take over whenever they
wish.
For the time being, and so long as
no strong man makes his appear
ance, it serves Moscows purpose best
to have a Communist govern
ment in France. If Maurice Thorez
or jacques Duclos, the Communist
leaders, were to take the reins
Frances usefulness to Russia on the
international scene would be lost.
This has been admitted to this
reporter by representatives of al
political factions. They whisper
these things and would deny such q
statement If they were quoted
Hence official interviews at this time
with leaders of the parties, from ex-
treme Socialists to the few remain
ing "Rightists," are useless. Fol
publication they express the usual
platitudes. France, which has
suffered much and contributed by
her resistance to the great victory
of the Allies, will recover with their
help and by the determination OF
her people, who will prove as hero
ical in the battle for recovery as
they have in war" they say.
Price Controls Remain.
But the same men admit sadly, In
private and of the record, that they
are seriously worried over the future
of their country and the French peo-
pie, who seem to have lost their re-
silence. They have reached a stage,
say these leaders Of the non-Com-
munist parties, where they will ac-
cept anything rather than put up a
fight.
Because of this lassitude, Leon
Blum's administration, which was
considered the best since the liber-
alton, did not dare to remove the
price control system, which gave
birth to and supports the deadly
and demoralizing black market. Mr.
Blum was fully aware that the re-
moval of government controls would
bring to the market agricultural
products, at least. But in the inter-
val between removal of controls and
the time when the law of supply
and demand began to operate, there
might be temporary increase In
prices of consumer goods. Because
of this nobody dares remove con-
dition which is undermining not
only the French economy but also
the morale of the people.
The Communists, who have by fal
the best organized party in France
are taking full advantage Of this
situation. Although they represent
only 20 per cent of the total voting
population, they are by all odds
the strongest party in the National
Assembly. 1t is true that the Other
parties combined have. vast ma
jority in the new Parliament. B,l
while the Communist groups
are at drawn daggers and cannot
find common ground on which te
unite, the Communists always pre-
sent a strong united front.
It is interesting to watch the new
Assembly which replaced the ole
Chamber of Deputies. While repre-
sentatives of the nom Communist
parties talk interminably, shouting
invectives at each other, the Com
munists are grave and never indulge
in floor fights. A Communist repre-
sentative will 60 to the rostrum ano
read his speech from typewriter
sheets. If heckled he never gives ar
impromptu answer, but waits unit
the next day when either he or one
of his colleagues takes the floor ano
reads a reply to the previous days
questions. Not even the floor leader