The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-06-18
MENDES-FRANCE WILL ORGANIZE
NEW FRENCH GOVERNMENT NOW
BY HARVEY HUDSON

BY HARVEY HUDSON
PARIS R-Pierre Mendes-France
set about organizing a new French
government today to deliver the
Indochina peace he has promised
within a month. But his Cabinet
apparently will not include Foreign
Minister Georges Bidault, the ma
tons negotiator at the Geneva con-
ference.
The National Assembly approved
Mendes-France as premier early
today after the 47-year-old Radical
Socialist (moderate) outlined a
three-point program, including .
promise he would reach an Indo-
china settlement before July 20 or
resign. The vote was 419-47, with
.154 deputies abstaining. Commu-
nists supported him.
Z The new Premier offered his pro-
gram as a three-stage project, lead
ing off with the Indochina peace.
When that was achieved, he said,
he would:
/. Submit a coherent and de-
tailed program for economic re-
covery."
2. Attempt to reconcile the diyi-
sions within France on the Euro
pean Defense Community Treaty
to rearm West Germans in a six
nation European army. OF the six
nations, France and Italy still must
ratify it.
Bidault's absence from the new
government appeared certain after
his Popular Republican Movement
(MRP) announced it would not take
part in ndes-France's Cabinet.
Mendes-France told the Assem-
bly,:
''H the conflict in Indochina 10
not settled = and settled quickly
It is the risk Of war, of an inter-
national war and perhaps an atom
lie war-that must be envisaged. :"
He did not outline any precise
plan for achieving peace beyond
continuation of the Geneva talks
and a promise that mo measure
will be neglected that shows itself
necessary to this end" This i'm
piled direct negotiations with Ho
Chi Mini, Moscow-tutored leader
OF the Vietminh rebels in Indo-
china. Mendes-F France has consist
emily urged such negotiations in the
past.
The new Premier declared, how
ever, that every possible precaution
would be taken to safeguard
Frances forces in Indochina. He
also declared his plan did not en-
visage a surrender.
France does not have to accept
and win not accept conditions for
settlement which would be in con-
flict with its most vital interests,
he declared. "France win remain
In the Far East. Neither our al
lies, nor our enemies must harbor
the least doubt on the meaning Of
our determination"
Today's Assembly vote saw Com
munists, Socialists, Radical Social
lists, big bloc Of De Gaullists and
scatterings from other parties lined
up behind Mendes-F France. Inde-
pendent Republicans and MRP
members mostly abstained, but
eight MRPs disobeyed party or
ders to vote for confirmation.
These eight gave Mendes-F France
six more than the needed 314
votes, even without the 90 Com
munists and fellow travellers who
balloted for him. The Premier had
warned the Assembly earlier he
would not accept the premiership
II his majority was made possible
by Communist votes.
The victory made the economic
and financial expert Frances 18th
Premier since the liberation. His
Cabinet viii be the nations 10th
postwar government.
A brilliant orator, Mendes-F France
failed by IS votes to win the pre-
miership during a s7-day govern
ment crisis last year. The job was
finally won then by former Pre-
mier Joseph Laniel, who resigned
Saturday after losing an Assembly
confidence vote on the Indochina
ieexHn