Evening star., 1953-11-16
French Politics For


PARIS-A visitor, trying to get the hang of French
politics at the present time may find some help by making
translation into American terms No doubt all transa
tons lose something of the truth and favor of the original
My mprovised translation has lost all the flavor but it
may preserve little of the important truth 1t is not
going to be literal or exact.
During 1853 France has been in political phase which
corresponds with 1852 in America An old administration,
long in power, is approaching the end of its term.
to be elected formed, organized and put to
work.
This being election year with the outcome uncertain,
there power in the government to make important
decisions. All that cannot be handled less
bureaucratic routine has to be postponed 1t is not unlike
the time when the Truman administration could longer
take big decisions and when the Eisenhower admnistra-
ton could not yet take them.
The French constitutional system is of course very
unlike There is popular election campaign going
here in 1853 there at home in 1852 Neverthe
less this is year which French administration,
we would call it, is in the making
Despite the obvious differences, the analogy better
than it looks France in 1953 like the United States in
1882 phase of deep political change 1t has not yet
formed but it is being pushed toward forming new
administration
This is as President Eisenhower has been finding not
easy thing to do 1t thing for the people to make
up their minds that is time for changes another
thing for newly elected reorganize the affairs of
government
In France in 1858 the equivalent of change of ad-
mnstraton is to be found only in the election of the
President of the Republic which takes place month
1t found also in the struggle for constitutional REFORM
which came into the open last summer and not yet
concluded The of the constitutional reform lies
in Strengthening and stabizng the executive power of
the government as against the alpowerfu legislature.
The French government will lack the power of decision
Iofka D~ae o11o
ment is formed which carry out the constitutional
reform This hardly be accomplished earlier than the
late winter.
BY Standards that would be rather quick
transition to and effective administration. Our
transition has been long During the last year
of TrumanS and the first year of Eisenhowers have
not enjoyed Administration which had the political
power in Congress to make great decisions of policy
similar though perhaps somewhat greater hesitation
and avoidance of difficult matters prevails here gen.
eral in official circles that they do really have
the power to make hard DECISIONS feeling among the
people that the government will not make hard DECISIONS
exists both sides of the Atlantic and of
political uncertainty which has remarkable smilarities
The French do feel able to deal in any large and
way with their relations to Germany. This bears
large resemblance to the inability of the President and
Secretary Dulles to deal largely and seriously with affairs
in the Far East.
French diplomacy in this phase like own, is DOM
mated by the impulse avoid the hard questions This
the French say say yes but yes it,
whenever the question which public opinion is
passonatey divided This is just about what Mr. Dulles
has had to do The difference that for France the hard
decisions Europe and for the United States they
are in the Far East
No say when in what conditions the French
will find way to form government that able govern
But there doubt that the way in which this problem
eventually solved crucial for the future of France,
for her relations with Germany, for the grand alliance
and it might be for democracy and liberty.
There is not much that foreign powers can do in what
is intimately internal affair of the French people
elections for But attitude in Washing
part of unfaiiing loyalty ancient ally would
very severe and painful business
If were to venture to guess as to what would be q
prudent and useful working assumption, it would be is
crisis which turns upon the ability to form govern
ment that govern brewing 1t be expected to
to head in 1854
The critical question is whether it is going be pre-
cpitaed by disasters and popular whether it
will be dealt with in time by who have the will to
and to recreate crisis resulting from the
sure of external events in Indo-C China in relation to
Germany in the of prices and wages could be
very dangerous For there is deep trouble in this country
and in the coming crisis all might depend whether
standard be raised which will rally with
fdence and hope (frOm Tribune 1850
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