The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1958-07-11
France = 1858
American Catholics Have
Duty to Study Facts
by Erik v. KuehneIt-L eddihn

by Erik v. Kuehneit.L eddihn
American Catholics, as Catholics no less than as
Americans, have a real duty to study carefully the
events in France. Let us begin with the bare facts
as they appear to an observer in Paris.
First Of all, there was the total and complete fail
Ure Of the parliamentary system OF which the French
had become sick and tired, eeasing to identity il with
the national interest. with liberty, or even with re-
An outstanding French politician told me, a year
and a half ago, in SO many words that General Charles
de Gaulle would be at the helm of the state some
time in the future.
de GauIle?" / exclaimed incredulously, that
elderly gentleman who writes beautiful French? His
party is gone and his ambition seems to be the French
Academy rather than the Prime Ministry
You are dead wrong" my informant replied,
"ds Gsvlle still has his old ambitions but he does not
have TO lift a finger. power will fall into his lap like
an overripe, rotten fruit because parlianenfarisnn will
inevitably commit suicide and because there is no 9TH
or wslIknown parson on the French scene"
Yet, the spark which ignited the fuse came from
the French settlers of Algeria, a very tough, rather
uncouth. slightly arrogant, usually religious, and high
y prolific crowd which was afraid OF being sold down
the river by the deputies In Paris.
This energetic race OF pioneers demonstrated
resolufely in AIgiers and the Army, after some hest
tation, made common cause with the rioters.
On top of it all the majority of Algerian Mos
lens, whose passive collaboration with the Felaghas
was only due to their apprehension that they would
be handed over to Their blood-thirsty correligionists
in the mountains Financed by Moscow and Cairol raj
lieu ~ Tie AIIHy II Lu6 UGWly coLdUuSlIGu SOilliuC
tees of Public Veal which now contain many Mos
lens.
It is precisely this pro.Freneh enthusiasm among
the Muslin masses which surprised 50 many foreign
observers. Americans especially must beware Of using
Unfortunately the damning label "eolonialism."
The colonial method and mentality of the Eu-
ropean nations shows great variations, each repre-
senting something morally and politically different.
The French variety, which tends to ~integrate and
turn the natives into real F~renchmen, actually en-
counters a certain opposition among the races with
highly developed cultures but it goes down well in
To the French, he who speaks their language and
truly takes part in French cultural activities, is fully
French, whatever his skin or his faith. There is no
metropolis more interracialst outside OF South Amer.
ca than Paris.
De cauIIe's initial, only privately exposed plan
was neutrality-suspicious. for Algeria but when he saw
tho iubilating Mosiem crowds in Algeria, oran, Con.
stsnfine. and Mostsshahern he decided to advocate
the full Indignation Of Algeria into metropolitan
France.
This, of course, will mean 100 Moslem deputies
in the National Assembly in Paris (which already has
a number of Africans) These Muslims might become
a minority in a key position, sitting in the center and
thus able to determine the affairs of France.
A paradoxical %situatlon2s Indeed, but only II
France is going to remain a parliamentary republic
which everybody / met deemed most unlikely. The
parliament will be deprived of its Importance.
De GaUIIs is decidedly right OF center and yet he
encounters opposition on the extreme right. What
we have seen recently is by no means the end OF the
story.
There is the referendum as to the New Consti.
tuition and the possibility that de Gaulle might fail
and be replaced by more radical forces which would
shock American public opinion even more than the
events of May and June.
Many higher officers consider fhe present state
Of affairs . compromise solution, q palliative for the
moment. Make no mistake: the army had, in May,
made detailed preparations to take over and to wipe
the republic off the map. The knowledge Of these
moves frightened the parIiamenfarians into submits
sion.
One more reason why they yielded was the OBJ
vious weakness of the French ommunis giant.
The phenomenal economic development of France
(going hand in hand with governmental bankruptcy
has filled the stomachS of the FRENCH workers who
are higher paid than their German colleagues and
thus not willing to die on the barricades for M.
Duclos. 80.
The other factor, believe it or not, is the still
unforgotten Hungarian Revolution.
When the Communists presented themselves
dvrina The recent crises as the stavneh defenders
Of the Republican liberties" they were greeted with
howls Of laughter.
Their call for a general strike went UNDECIDED
Thus the old French parliamentary system died WITH
out a sigh under the threats Of the army and We
have to look now for the historic significance OF iu
demise. Wen do that next week.
whom you have from God, and crucifix in our home Is =
.n-. !. ut vo,r ~ remind us of the meaning 1t
me. - 80 hoar ho,obt ~ suffering. The morning offer.
L " W inc of all nur "nravers works