Evening star., 1947-01-30
Small French Communist Party
Works Many Angles for Votes

Works Many Al
This Is the third OF series |
OF articles By The Stars foreign
affairs analyst, 1Dho is no,D in
Europe.l
By Constantine Brown
/. PARIS, CBy Mall Since the
liberation, the Communists have
built the best organized political
party in France. It is an exclusive
party comprising only 1.000, 900
members.
4 The reason the membership is
not large is due to the fact that not
every one is allowed to join. Five
million persons voted the Com
munist ticket at the last elections.
But only one-fifth OF these are en-
rolled party members.
The Bureau Politique" plays onI
words such as liberty, democracy,
progress to catch as many votes
as possible It knows that words
play a great role in politics, and
while the Communist central or
ganization relies on disruption, dis
organization and infiltration In key
positions to obtain power, 1t is also
making a bid for popular support,
which will smooth its road TO power.
The Bureau Politique is the
highest strategy group Of the party
and misses no opportunity to get
votes-not membeFs-for the Com
munists. Unlike the organizations
behind the Iron Curtain" it claims
to be a French party, possessing
only vague theological connections
with Moscow, whence 1t receives
advice not orders" This advice.
say Maurice Thorez and Jacques
Duclos, concerns mostly foreign af-
fairs. This is natural. say these
Communist leaders, since the foreign
interests of France and Russia. par
ticularly in regard to Germany, are
identical
Activities Are Virulent.
On the surface, the French Com
munist Party is just another politi-
cal party which is struggling le-
gally to obtain eventual control OF
the government. But its under
ground activities are probably more
virulent in France than in any
other country.
The Communists have partici-
pated in every government except
the last, leon Blum's interim re-
gime. They demanded and obtained
cabinet posts which, although re-
garded by outsiders as OF minor
Importance, enabled them to pene-
trate deep into Frances economic
and social life.
1t is only in the new cabinet OF
Paul Ramadier that the Commu-
nists obtained key ministry-Na-
tional Defense. Many French OBJ
servers consider, however, that the
less spectacular portfolios-such as
Labor, Health and Reconstruction
are far more important for the
ultimate purposes of the Commu-
nists than National Defense. This
was neutralized as an anti-Com-
munist instrument In an earlier
administration-w Communist
ministers had control of the arse
nails through the Ministry of Pro-
duction and the Air Ministry.
There is no doubt that the Bu-
reau Politique has used excellent
methods to attract sympathizerS.
Most French housewives feel keen
ly the many shortages when they
60 to market. And French house.
wives are very vociferous and de-
termined persons, more conserVa-
tive, as a rule, than the males of
the family.
Approached by Communists. =, Il
When they queue up before q
meat or vegetable counter, waiting
impatiently for their turn and fear
ing that when it comes there may
be nothing left, agents of the Com
munist party approach them. These
agents, men and women, offer to
register willing persons who would
like to belong to a certain organiza-
ton which can provide food and
some clothing at the official price
without any extra cost to the reg
istrant." This, of course, is mama
from heaven and the women allow
their names to be put down.
The next day they can 60 to
certain store where the promises are
fulfilled. But the housewives are
then told that in exchange for the
favor they will have to vote the
Communist ticket and also will have
to do their utmost to induce the men
in the family to do likewise. The
party, they are informed, keeps close
track of all persons receiving favors
and if the vote does not correspond
to the number of registered names,
there will be no more meat, milk or
shoes at official prices. Politics is
far less important than a full
stomach, and so far the system has
worked successfully.
In the farming areas, where the
Communists have mustered unex-
pected strength, the party was able
to distribute seeds for potatoes and
wheat to all who signed up.
The strategy has succeeded even
among some leading French indus
trialists. The case Of a well-known
manufacturer Is cited as an illus
tration. A Communist leader,
Marcel Paul, was Minister of Pro-
duction last year. The industrialist,
who lacked raw materials to keep
his factory going. called on the