Evening star., 1951-08-12

Catholic school issue, leaving the So
luton up to parliament through leg
islation. While his stand was not 100
per cent satisfactory to the Catholic
faction, they were appeased to some
extent by the knowledge that Mr..
Pleven would not exert the premier's
influence on any legislative action.
The Socialists voted confidence in
the new Pleven regime But they, too,
had some doubts about his program.
In his speech to parliament, which
was devoted almost exclusively to
domestic problems, Mr.. Pleven called
for an upward revision in wages next
month and for new plan for mod
ernlz1ng French industry and devel-
opment OF raw materials in French
territories abroad. He made no promise
10 the Socialists on the demand for
cost-of-living pay increases.
Because of this failure to meet the
Socialist goal, Mr.. Plevin is expected
to face considerable, and perhaps in
surmountable, opposition in bringing
harmony to his country's government.
The optimistic observers think his
government will stand up about six
months, and then collapse under
rising wages and rearmament costs
that may drain French finances to
point where new franc devaIua-
tlon will become imperative.
On the pessimistic side. Mr..
PleVen is expected to last until
OCTOBER, when the Catholic school
issue will arise again through over
croWdlng of government schools a
situation which may force subsidiza-
tlon OF private institutions.
Mr.. Pleven, who before World War
II worked for the British Telephone
corp, is no career politician. He
approaches his problems in a cool,
ouslnesslike manner. and his friends
hope that this attitude may bring
success to his cabinet.
Such complete and protracted
breakdown in executive government
as France has been experiencing
seems incredible here. In the
United States. Presidents may be
voted out of Office or die in service
yet there always is an immediate
successor and the normal functions
Of government continue. Cabinets
may be reshuff1ed and Congress may
change its political majority every
Two years, but entire administrative
operations do not collapse under
pressure of internal problems.
No Emergencies
Luckily for the French, there have
been no major emergencies during
this period. But several important
international decisions have been de-
layed. Chief among these are the
questions of West German rearma-
ment and the ALLEGATION of French
airfelds for the North Atlantic de-
tense forces. And fortunately for
the civil service, the French budget
is on calendar year basis, so no
pay trouble has been experienced.
If war had broken out in Europe,
or If France had been paraiyzed by
general strikes and rioting, how
would such crisis have been handled?
The answer is simple: Just as they
would have been under a fully oper-
ooAiS SeASA1Ct. ocoplCc Tile dUSGIlCe
OF premier during the last eight
weeks. French civil functions have
continued under a form of lame
duck" administration. While unable
to make major-policy decisions, the
government situation has not been
as dark as generally supposed. The
defunct cabinet has continued to
operate as an administrative agency,
without premier of minister of
interior. All other members have
remained at their posts pending
choice of their successors.
In the event of war, the Presi-
dent-normally a mere figurehead-
would have been able to invoke GER
tain protective measures until he
could select an acceptable premier
and cabinet to shoulder the burden.
Perhaps that is why the French
political maneuvering has caused
some annoyance among the other
Western powers, but no real con-
Germ. In country whose leader
ship has changed hands on an aver
age Of new regime each nine
months for 81 years, one more up
heaval in internal politics seems to
haye little chance Of being the last.