Evening star., 1952-03-04
Long French Crisis
Believed Increasing
De GauIIe's S Chances
BY the Asseeia,sd Press

by me ASseeioted Press
PARIS, Mar. 4.-The lanky fig-
ure Of Gen. Charles de Gaulle
cast a lengthening shadow over
French politics today as inde-
pendent Antoine Pinay tried to
patch a new cabinet of experts
from the ill-fitting jig-saw pieces
of Frances mont Communist par
ties.
Few observers gave M. Pinay-
Transport Minister in the lame
duck government Of Edgar Faure
ANY better chance of success
than his predecessors.
Wartime Premier Paul Reynaud
already had failed to obtain what
M. Pinay is Seeking-a national
union government of techniciansl
drawn from all parties except the
Communists. Rene Pleven, still
smarting from the defeat which
threw him out of Office in Janu-
airy, refused even to try.
The crisis was in its fifth day.
It began because the Assembly
voted 1,400 billion francs (aboutI
81 billionO for armS-including ex-
panded defense Of Western Europe
then refused is per cent tax
boost to help pay the bill.
Talk Of Asking More Aid.
Some French deputies already
were talking about asking the
United States for still more aid to
pay Frances defense bill. But in
Washington, Chairman Tom Con-
nally of the Senate Foreign Rela-
tions COMMITTEES. angrily thun-
dered that unless France does "her
utmost in her own defense, she
cannot justify large appropriations
from the United States for both
economic and military aid"
Such plain talk from the Sem
ate's most potent voice on foreign
affairs indicated that the French
failure to find the funds for her
part Of North Atlantic defense was
building up fresh trouble for PreSi-
dent Truman's request for $7.9 bill
lion for foreign aid.
The longer the crisis dragged
on-with the bleeding of the near
ly empty treasury ustopped by new
taxes-the better De Gaulle's
chances seemed of getting into /
power.
De Gaulle Wants Changes.
His party, the RPF CRally of the
French People), which has the
largest membership in Parlia-
ment, has decided it is ready to
join in talks for a national union
to meet the growing crisis. Should
it gam dominant voice in a new
cabinet. it undoubtedly would |
cause a lnajor upheaval in pres
ent French foreign policy.
Gen. De Gaulle already has called
for sweeping changes in the major
Western defense programs to
which France has recently COM
mitted herself.
The RPF vigorously opposed the
Schuman plan for pooling Vest
ern Europe's coal and steel in
duStrieS. It also opposes the one
uniform European army, proposed
by France as q method Of bring
ing Germany into European de-
fense without risking another
German conquest Of France.
Gen. De Gaulle instead has
proposed-in vague terms-a con-
federation of Europe with each
country retaining the right to its
own forces but each country bound
to another by precise mutual
undertakings so that no one can
seek hegemony (domination) over
the Others"
U. S. Interference" Criticized.
He believes the United States is
interfering too much in Europe
but adds that I'VE can't do without
American aid"
Though Gen. De Gaulle himself
could not be in a cabinet-he is
not a member Of the National
Assembly-there were persistent
rumors that he is seeking a meet
ing with President Vincent Auriol,
who nominates premiers.
These reports said Gen. De
Gaulle wanted the meeting away
from the publicity-surrounded |
presidential residence, the Elysee
Palace. But Mr.. Auriol reportedly
was making no concessions. The
President, 1t was said, would have
the meeting at the palace or not
-