Evening star., 1960-03-13


party against the heayy-handed
rice Thorez. In the course of his
may find himself dragged un-
willingly into a local dispute.
the outcome of which has Moth
ing to do with the broader aims
of his trip.
Since this is the first time
Mr.. Khrushchev has visited a
Western country with a large
Communist Party-one out of
five Frenchmen regularly votes
the party ticket-there has
been some concern about do
mestic political effects of his
trip.
Whatever might be accom-
pliShed on an international
plane, it has seemed that the
French Communist Party could
hardly help making consider
able hay out of the occasion.
The party itself is obvious
ly very hopeful that it can.
For days now its official news
paper "Humanite" has been
playing up Mr.. KhruShchev's
impending arrival.
The invitation from French
President de Gaulle. one might
gather, was a Communist idea.
The prospect of Paris draped
with the hammer and sickle
nils the heart of "Humanite"
with dreams of traditional"
Franco-RuSSian solidarity. Mr..
khrushchev, ''the tireless work.
er for world peace and brother
hood" is assured a heartfelt
hello" from the party faith
full.
Instructions Given
In Paris and throughout the
country, careful instructions
have gone out to all local party
headquarters and Communist
front organizations.
Cavalcades Of cars, buses and
ambulances are organized toI
provide transportation from
Communist populated Red
fringe" Paris suburbs to the
downtown ceremonies. Thou
sands of handbills and small
Soviet flags are ready for dis
tribution. Four special editions
OF this Sundays "Humanite, 81
numbering 2 million copies, are
in the works.
Special agitation squads"
have been given word on what
they should yell as Mr.. Khru-
shchev drives by. "Vive Khru-
shchev" or "vive USSR" are
highly favored. Cheers for
peace in Algeria. for relaxation
of international tensions and
for Franco-Soviet friendship
all have the official party bless
ing. Cheers for Gen. de Gaulle
are out.
Confused on Aims
Despite the show of enthu-
siasm and self-assurance, how
ever, it is obvious that the
French Communists have no
very clear idea what Mr.. Khru-
shchev has on his mind or
what line his talks with Gen.
de Gaulle may take. It also is
obvious that some party mem
bers hope to profit by Mr.. !
Khrushchev's presence in a
way which bodies Ill for the
party leadership. q
The nom Communist press has
recently published the text of
a letter which contains a ring
ing denunciation of the dicta-
torial control of the party
exerted by Mr.. Thorez and the
cult Of personality" which the
French party leadership repre-
sentS.
The unsigned letter, which
claims to speak for some $4,000
dissident Communists, report
edly was delivered to the Rus
sian Embassy here to be passed
on to Mr.. Khrushchev.
1t charges among other
things, that the French party
leaders have abandoned the
principles Of Marx and Lenin,
that they still follow the rigid
footsteps Of Josef Stain, lie
about the strength of the ma
tional party and spend too
much Of the party's funds on
themselves.
Want Investigation
Finally the dissidents ask for
the creation Of an international
commission before which they
could appear and present evi-
dence to substantiate their
charges. The commission pre-
sumably would be made up Of
members of other European
Communist Parties who would
pass judgment on the French
leaders.
While 1t is most unlikely that
LOST