Evening star., 1948-06-13
France at the Crossroads

The momentous debate now in progress
before the French National Assembly
brings into acute focus dilemma that has
beset the western powers from the time OF
the First World War. That dilemma Is the
question of French security"
France has felt insecure ever since the
uniflcation of Germany, after centuries OF
impotence denoted France from her pre-
vious primacy on the European continent.
Indeed, it was the blundering effort OF
Napoleon III to block German unity which
led to the Franco-P -Prussian War OF 1870,
war which left France gravely weakened
and confirmed the new German Empire as
the first power on the continent. Imperial
Germany misused its strength and made
bid for domination which ended in its de-
feat in World War I. Further weakened
by second German invasion, France saw
future safety in the permanent hobbling
of the German giant by what amounted to
an undoing of its political unity and the
shackling of its economic strength. TO
avoid so drastic solution, which they
considered unavoidable in the long run,
Britain and the United States, through
President Woodrow Wilson, offered France
German aggression. But the American
Senate refused to ratify the treaty. and
when France attempted unilaterally to get
a modicum of security by detaching the
Rhineland and occupying the Ruhr, Brit
ain likewise baked. Western cooperation
being thus broken, Germany was free to
go it's own way and, under Adolf Hitler,
made second bid for domination, which
was crushed in World War II, involving
the shattering of all Europe and the rise
of Soviet Russia to commanding posi-
ton, checked only by the makeweight of
the United States
Still further weakened and again taught
by bitter experience, nearly all Frenchmen
feel that their future safety requires the
permanent reduction of Germany to po-
litical and economic tutelage. But Britain
and America are convinced that the meas
ures which France demands would perpet-
uate Germany's present economic proStra-
ton and thereby prevent the economic
recovery of Europe. This, in turn, prob
ably would lead to eventual Russian domi-
nation of both Germany and the continent.
In an endeavor to reconcile these con-
flicting viewpoints, representatives OF
America, Britain and France, together with
the minor Benelux trio, have hammered
out an agreement which is admittedly
series of compromises. Under this agree
ment, France gains much, but not enough
to reassure her. The French government
wants to make the best of what it admits
is unsatisfactory by ratifying the agree
ment. The opposition, coming from both
the Left and Right, urges refusal But
this, as Foreign Minister Bidault warns,
spells for France Isolation" instead of CO.
operation with its natural friends and
allies. France can expect no more con-
cessons. Indeed many qualified persons
in America and Britain alike fear that
those already made may gravely handicap
German economic recovery. If France
balks, the probability is that Britain and
America will go it alone with their two
zones, which include the vital Ruhr. France
would then be indeed isolated. But west
ern unity would likewise be broken in face
of Soviet aggression while the European
Recovery Program would be seriously han
dicapped.
Bidault asks his countrymen to choose
the lesser of what he himself admits are
two evils from the French point of view.
France Is too weak to stand alone and
pursue an independent foreign policy. The
big question is whether the Assembly will
bow to the stern logic of necessity or
whether it will reject the London agree
ment, with all the unfortunate conse-
uuences which would then ensue.