Evening star., 1954-05-11
Political Situation in France
Primed for New, Costly Crisis
Future of frances Fight in Asia
Depends on Assembly Action Today

thing: Willingness OF the French
people to continue to fight
the advance of Communism in
Southeast Asia. The answer
should be clearer at end of to-
days session of the National
Assembly here.
The technical question to be
decided is whether or not Pre-
mier Laniel'S government can
defeat the new challenge to it's
authority which has been raised
and continue in power. Last
week the government squeaked
through one such crisis by a
narrow margin.
If a new vote of confidence is
demanded at today's session,
many observers predict a differ
ent result when the balloting
starts Thursday.
The real question which the
Assembly faces. however. goes
deeper than party politics. Es-
sentially, it is whether France
can continue to play the part Of
Europe's leading anti-Commu-
mist power. If the answer is no,
and If the government should
be taken over by exponents of
neutralism and appeasement, the
consequences for the whole free
world are not hard to imagine.
There is some encouragement in
the fact that even a number of
anti-government voices are urg-
ing caution at this point. Any
logical review of the situation
indicates that France has much
to lose-and even the politicians
have little to calmly precipi-
tating crisis now.
Arguments Still Apply.
Arguments that the govern
ment used last week still apply:
That a crisis would reduce to
nothing chances of obtaining
peace in Geneva at the very
time when defeat at Dien Bien
Phu makes some kind Of nego-
tiated settlement with the Com
munists all more necessary.
Premier Laniel Furthermore is
reported prepared to use every
constitutional device available to
him to stay in Office during the
Geneva Conference. If he loses
a vote of confidence by less than
an absolute majority, he can
technically hold on as Premier
If he loses by more than abso-
lutte majority there is possibility
Of dissolving the Assembly and
calling for new elections. In
either case Mr.. Bidault could re-
main in Geneva although his
authority to speak for France
in negotiations would be dis
astrously weakened.
No Coalition Possible.
The strongest argument against
a crisis, however, is the fact
that no new coalition govern
ment could possibly be formed
at this point. Mr.. Laniel's op-
ponents may be united in their
criticism Of his policies and con-
duct of the Indo-C China war.
But when it comes to alternative
policy, these same critics are
poles apart. Elections might
change this hopeless division in
the Assembly. but so far as most
deputies are concerned, the idea
Of new elections at this time is
highly distasteful.
Logic, however, has never
been an outstanding feature of
French politics. The country
today is caught up in a general
wave of resentment and re-
elimination over the loss of Diem
Bien Phu which is aimed at Mr..
Laniel and his Defense Minister,
Rene Pleven. AS long as there
was a chance that the garrison
might be saved by negotiation
with the enemy at Geneva, the
French government had little to
worry about. But this political
line of defense fell with the
fortress, and today Mr.. Laniel's
cabinet faces the most serious
threat Of its brief and precarious
exiStence