Evening star., 1953-12-25
Mr.. Coty's Grave Responsibility

VH' ~Oey SI0VS sNSSkSOHSf0HIeT
When Rene Coty, relatively obscure and
slightly right-of-center political veteran, won
election to the French presidency after Cruel
ling week of voting at Versailles he was quoted
as saying: Santa Claus was my biggest helper"
The remark was more than joke, but Mr.. Coty
also will need more than the good will of Santa
Claus to cope with the problems which are fac
ing his nation today.
Mr.. Coty was compromise choice, selected
after record breaking Stalemate which ran to
13 ballots by weary and short-tempered set of
legislators The hard and fast deadlock grew
out of efforts by the Rightist parties to name
Premier Joseph Laniel while the Leftists con-
centrated their support behind Marcel Edmond
Naegelen, Socialist. When each group despaired
of naming its favorite, series of behind-the-
scenes negotiations brought Mr.. Coty to the
'front.' The approach of Christmas probably
played its part in forcing the decision but the
spectacle of wrangling and intrigue had an un-
happy impact on public opinion, in France and
out, and even on the legislators themselves.
The new President will take Office on jan
uary II, at which time Premier Laniel will sub
nit his resignation and Mr.. Coty will be faced
with the immediate and serious test of finding
and gaining confirmation of a new govern
ment Many issues of bitterest complexion are
embedded in the situation which Mr.. Coty and
a new government will be facing in January
but the bitterest of all is that of ch-Gerpan
relations and what action France is to take on
the European army treaty.
If the political leaders of France have not
reasoned it out for themselves, it has been made
clear to them by official American comment,
especially forceful in the past fortnight, that
France must join in this project for supra
national army-to include 12 West German
divisons-or witness an "agonizng reappraisal"
of American foreign policy in which German
rearmament might be sought through some less
desirable alternative. Secretary of State Dulles
twice in this recent period-after NATO Coun-
Gil meeting earlier this month and in speech
before the National Press Club here this week
has spelled out the American viewpoint that
France must make its choice soon. President
Eisenhower has backed up Mr. Dulles on each
occasion, first in news conference and on
Wednesday in a formal White House statement
issued after meeting of the National Security
Council The European army, the White House
said, is considered by the President as "the only
practical proposal for ending permanently the
recurrent strife between France and Germany
. and of creating solid core at the center
of the NATO structure failure soon to con-
summate the EDO would confront the United
basic policies as regards Europe"
The European army idea is product of
French ingenuity, just as was the Coal and Steel
Authority which already links the same six
continental powers West Germany already
has ratified the military pact. Belgium and the
Netherlands have completed all but the last
formalitieS. Luxembourg and Italy probably
would follow the French lead-if and when it
comes. But on one pretext after another-the
need for clarifying" protocols to the treaty,
the prior requirement of a settlement of the
Saarland'S future as between France and Ger
many, requests for further military commit
ments from Britain and the United States
France has deferred action French govern
ments have taken Office and have resigned over
other issues but underneath every crisis has
been the unsettled and bitterly controversial
question of what is to be done about the Euro
pean army treaty. French fears of German mil
itarism and reluctance to surrender even partial
sovereignty over national forces are understand
able But the possibilities of an independent
German army within the NATO setup or of
American withdrawal of its forward military
position in Western Europe hold even more
dangerous implications for France
= Mr.. Coty's position on the EDO is not pub
licly known. When the issue was last debated
in the French Senate he was i'll and he has
made no record on the question. He has, how
ever, been party associate and supporter of
Premier Laniel, who is recorded in favor of the
treaty.
While the French constitution strictly linn
its the authority of President and leaves all
real power in the hands of the national legis-
lature, the chief of state does have opportunity
to exert important influence. President Auriol
has done so on several occasions and the record
of ministerial crises probably would have been
much worse if he had not combined political
skill and guile in dealing with the divergent
political elements. Mr.. Coty has a reputation
for being conciliatory in dealing with those of
differing political views and of being popular
with all but the most extreme political factions.
He will need these attributes, as well as others,
if he is to be more than figurehead presi-
dent. France desperately needs leadership and
a political stability that has been missing in
recent years.
For the Foreseeoble Future