Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-08

Radicals. It proposes q joint
study Of how to form a govern
ment which would satisfy the
majority of electors" In their
wish to see the affairs Of the
country placed In the hands Of a
leftist government"
Communists Motive
The motive behind these Of
Ifers is perfectly clear: Commu-
mist support for Mendes- France
and the Socialists-whether or
not it is accepted--will make it
that much harder for the right
wing leaders to reach an under
standing with the Republican
front. And unless such an I'M
Outstanding is reached, no
French government can be
formed which does not depend
directly on Communist support
for its survival.
In view Of this fact the atti-.
tude Of Republican front leaders
since the election is somewhat
harder to explain. Even before
the vote was counted. these
leaders were loudly pushing their
claim to form the next govern
ment. At the same time. they
have adamantly turned down
every offer Of Cancellation and
compromise from the right.
Yesterday. at q meeting be-
tween Mr.. Mendes-France and
Mr.. Mollet, this attitude was
formaliZed In an agreed program
which leaders will submit to
their parties before the opening
|of the new assembly. BY imph-
cation, ct least, the document
rules out any negotiation with
right center parties In connection
with this program.
In effect the right wing Repub-
|licans are being presented with
10 cold take-it-or- leave-it propo-
sition; unconditional support
with no concessions In return.
The unspoken threat Is just as
plain: Withhold your support
and we win turn to the Commu-
nists.
For . bloc which controls q
maximum Of Isl seats out Of
594 filled so far. this line seems
excessively hard-boiled. Ger
tainly the immediate reaction
from the moderate right reflects
mo tendency to knuckle under
meekly. On the contrary It is
pointed out that "the only way
the Republican front can lay
claim to victory in this election
Us by accepting the Communists
and the popular front"
Pressing their demands for a
real voice in any new government
the moderate leaders are virtu-
ally daring Mendes-France and
his colleagues to take the re-
sponsibility for turning to the
Communists.
No Press Reaction
There has been no reaction so
far IN the Republican front press
to the Communist offensive for
10 popular front and offers Of
support. These offers have been
vague enough. perhaps, to en-
courage the hope that no strings
win be attached-in others words
that Mr.. Mendes-F France and
company could rely on Com
munist votes without taking
Communists into the government
and giving them o major voice
In policy decisions. Unrealistic Is
1t may be. this hope seems to be
an important factor in the cal
culations Of Republican front
leaders in the preliminary Joe
keying for advantage.
TAKEN together, these various
developments must be recognized
as an ominous trend. To pre-
dict q new role for the Com
munists In the French govern
ment at this point would be very
premature. In q showdown It still
seems probable that any respon-
sible Republican leader would
shrink from an action which
would have such incalculable
consequences for France and its
position In the Western coalition.
And yet today, one finds such
liberal Catholic thinkers as
Francois Mauriac taking the
possibility seriously and observ-
ing that the popular front after
all would be better than nothing.