The Wilmington morning star., 1947-06-11
The French Strike
nv ANNE O'HARE MCCORMICK

BY ANNE O'HARE
The cavernous railway stations IN Paris
we're empty yesterday. The usual sunday
crowds that scurry about IN the peape'u"i
twilight OF the grands cares, oouno lor 'ne
,o,ntry in the morning and coming BACK IN
n. evening with parcels of food, were oDllged
n stav at home. One certain by-product OF
tho railway strike will be a curta1lment OF lhe
black market. But the great Esplahaoe ues
.nvalides was turned into an open-alr Il eon'
and all available motor transport-puses' =,
ries. trucks. private automoblles-was sWlity
mobilized to keep traffic moving between the
cities OF france.
The French are used to transport oi-Ae
tics Manv of the main railWay lines were
c,t 6uring the fighting. For years they lived
,mmobile and isolated in their separate eoni-
munjties. and this had results on French lie
and unitv it will take years to overcome:
If food and vital supplies are kept moving
this experience may help France TO STAND up
to the present strike better than most couh-
tries could. 1t may possibly Eshten popular
pressure on the Government to come 10 terms
with the strikers. Despite his weak posi'loh
as the representative of a minority party
premier Ramadier has shown determination
snd courage in carrying through to this point
the risky experiment of governing without the
Communists. So far he has refused to bargain
with the union officials until the men go BACK
10 work, and they refuse to 60 PACK 10 "olA
until their claims are satlsfled.
The demand for a minimum monthly wage
of 7.O57 francs, about $50 is modest and ]usti'
fed, especially when it is remembered mat
81 ices for most necessities are hlgher IMAM IN
Ire United States, but the administrator Is
irving desperately 10 maintain a stable wage
and nrice program. and Ramadier's plea is
hat the precarious national economy simply
cannot stand further drains. The strike in this
case is against the Government, cor the
French railway system is natlonallzed and Is
all eady losing money at an alarming rate:
The stoppage is by far the most Gripping OF
the wave of strikes that has swept over the
country since the Communists left the Gov
eminent. If prolonged, it will paralyze many
industries and reduce UNNECESSARILY the pro
ductive capacity OF a nauon just beginning ~
get on its feet.
But it's main importance is political. 1t is
one more in a series Of Communist moves that
have followed rapidly on the seizure OF power
in Hungary. Everything that has happened IN
recent days points to a design to tie up the
states of Eastern Europe, including Austria
INTO a closed and tightly integrated system
under Soviet control. The maneuvers are
strangely hurried, as if the Kremlin we're pre-
pairing for and forestalling an organization in
the West which it suddenly recognizes as a
serious project.
No doubt Moscow wants a whole Europe.
But is the campaign in the West now begin
ming? 1t should be recalled that the french
Communists left the Government OF their own
~volition. They are voluntarily out of power in
Italy also, so their course III france may
forecast the action that may be expected on
the other side Of the Alps. The French rail
way strike is a sign that they wish to return
to power. Inside the Government, they dem
onstrated that they could keep strikes to a
minimum; now they are demonstrating that
outside they can disrupt any Of the public
services by their control OF the labor unions.
The exhibit is not made for Premier Ra-
nader and his harassed colleagues: 1t is
made for the people. Look they say, 1--WE
are the only party that can assure you Of
order" 1t is a powerful argument. for the
ordinary people of Europe are tired OF crises
md chaos. They will follow nearly anyone who
promises to keep things moving and restore
order.
If the French Communists really desire to
come back. it is for one of two motives. Either
they feel that they are losing ground and a
n~on-Communist Government is doing too well
without them or. and this is more likely, they
are convinced that they can exert power more
effectively inside the Government. Hungary is
the spectacular example of this. but even as
the largest party it is inconceivable that the
Communists could repeat that performance In
France. The strike is a try-out 1t is likewise
a considerable gamble. tor if the people be-
come exasperated enough and back the stand
OF the Government it will be a defeat for
Communist %tsctics. and if disorder spreads
there is always the towering shadow OF de
Gaulle in the BACKGROUND.
Everything depends on the attitude of the
neople. The French rise TO an emergency.
They are sineu1arlv resonrcefu1 when they
are angry. But as thew rise there too often
apuears that letent srhism in French society.
'the undigested revolution. which the expe-
rience of a black decade has deepened and
complicated. France is the decisive arena OF
the political war Of Europe: nothing can hap
pen there. neither a strike nor a shift OF
power, without widespread consequences. The
world watches France with ANXIETY because
she occupies the key position in a CONNECT
lion that is not only not confined TO Eastern
Europe but will probably be decided bv the
West-by the capacity Of the Western nations
10 coonn~c4o in -~ood:~o ecoror,i" "o""" "'
and restoring faith in free government.-New
York Times.