Will Gaullism Go Democratic?
NICOLAEVSKY, BORIS
Will Gaullism Go Democratic? The Meaning of the Recent French Political Shifts By Boris Nicolaevsky FMJTICAL life in "liberated" France is prog-retting at a terrific speed. In the first three...
...In its foreign policy the Algiers Committee followed an anti-American line...
...and de Gaulle waa in the role of totalitarian party leader...
...Fundamentally, this plan expressed even more clearly the desire to put a check upon the Socialist*, and Radical-Socialists who were opposed to de Gaulle's policy...
...The important issue of the near fatare will be whether de Gsulle will comprehend the character of hia popularity and will be willing to remain a "symbol,"' thns uniting the Frenchmen who strive to build n Free France, in a sea a case he could act to the greatest advantage for his country...
...The Socialists negotiated with those leaders of the former parties who were hostile to any collaboration with Germany or Vichy, and put forward the idea of a "National Council of Resistance," represented by the underground groups as well as by former parties and trade unions...
...It was now suggested' that all the former parties unite, with the exception of the Communists who, while remaining independent, promised their full support to this new political formation...
...This blocj which comprised a It*** number of parliamentarians consisted of those *debin 1940 voted against the armistice as well as *biea who in those days of general confusion did vote '•fit but later realized their mistake and joined the •WSeition...
...Jules Jannemey...
...The proponents of the "Single Party" were also supported by some democrats, and even Socialists, but essentially it was the campaign of the two above-mentioned groups...
...D'A slier de la Vigerie, former member of tha Algiers Committee protests in the name of the French underground' against his removal from the new government, in order to increase the representation of the underground, the reader not thoroughly acquainted with the existing situation may be led.astray...
...In the first three week* ef the functioning of the d* Gaulle government, there hare bean three changes ia tha composition of the cabinet...
...There is no longer any talk of applying such laws in France, and the authors and principal defenders of them are no longer members of the government...
...Towards the end of the existence of the Algiers Committee the agitation for the "Single Party" took a new start, this time in a modified form...
...De Gaulle, undoubtedly, haa enjoyed and still enjoys a tremendous popularity, but it is a personal popularity for the man who in the tragic days of 1940 raised the cry for national liberation...
...It must be noted here that the distinction made between the underground groupings and the emigres is a very ambiguous one which gives rise to confusion...
...The Communists rejected the offer made then by the Socialists to oppose this plan together...
...Bet the situation in France today is not fsvorsble (or them...
...Pierre Frenay from Combat, etc...
...It is also because, according to unsnimoua reports from France, the French took a liking to the character of the American soldier...
...And it is precisely they who ia the name of their underground groups now lead a demagogic campaign against the reformed governOn the ether hand the government has taken in sn official representative of the National Council of Resistance formed, as explained above, on the initiative •f the Socialists in the Spring 1943...
...Francs risking their life, as against Frenchmen who lived abroad...
...TrlE changes in the de Gaulle government demonstrate alto the disapproval of liberated France for the totalitarian features in the domestic policy of the Algiers Committee...
...which spread the idea of a "Single Party" made their assertions on plain totalitarian basis...
...This agitation came on one hand from the Communists (who, of course, did not reckon their own party among the "old ones"), and on the other from such members of the rightist groups (Cagoulards, followers of "L'Action Francaise," etc...
...France ia undergoing radical reorientations, and from this point of view the changea in the de Gaulle government are of significant interest, for they are the barometer of the mood of present-day France...
...lbs newly composed de Gaulle government reflects all these internal struggles...
...In reply "Combat" published an article filled with attacka against the former political parties...
...Parsy, a former Cagoulard leader who functioned as head of the de Gauulist secret police...
...According to reports from France this is in no way sn accidental step...
...A distinction exists only so far as we mean people who fought inside...
...The campaign wat marked by anti capitalist phrases mixed with anti-American feelings...
...Such a "Party" waa declared necessary not only for underground activity but even more so, for the post-war period in order to protect France against the wild lust of "foreign capitalist...
...The papers reported that de Gaulle, upon his arrival 'a France, had a talk with the representatives of this Woe but they did not arrive at an agreement because •» Gaulle was strongly opposed to the remainder of the former Parliament...
...This is a continuation of the dispute which began in 1942...
...The bloc became the leading center of so *9**>eak an open opposition to Vichy while uniting those in the municipalities, cooperative*, etc., who bore Urn difficult task of serving the immediate needs of the Population, such as distribution of food, fuel and so on...
...In JanuaryFebruary 1943, the underground Populairt, the Socialist party organ, publithed a series of able articles " exposing the danger of a "Single Party,*' showing that is would inevitably lead to annihilation Of freedom and democracy which can be secured only by a multi-party system...
...This needs some further explanation., The agitation for a "Single Party" began in the latter part of 1942 as a result of a demagogic campaign against the "old parties," which asserted that these parties as well aa the former political leaders had shown themselves to be complete failures...
...In thia connection it is interesting to note that such BMaahsis of the Algiers Committee as Louis Jacquinot sad Paul Jiacobby (senator from Corsica) who were known ia Algiers sa opposing the totalitarian plana have remained in the government...
...The moat striking «spect of-the changes in the de Gaulle government is the rapid elimination of the men from the Algiers Committee...
...a The Algiers policy, both domestic and foreign, is undoubtedly unpopular in France...
...Of course, this did not put an end to the struggle, but it was carried on behind the scene, where a complicated relationship was established between the Communists and the totalitarian*: from the reactionary camp...
...This is evidenced not only from some semi-official publications such as"La Marseillaise," but also from many speeches delivered by the members of this Committee, including de Gaulle himself...
...In France today, however, there is no place for anti-American feelings...
...This representative is a Left Catholic, Georges Bidault...
...m less significant is the fsct thst the new government comprises the former president of the Senate, Mr...
...who had adhered to de Gaulle and occupied important position in his underground machinery, particularly a Col...
...If, however, he associates himself with the policy of his former Algiers Committee, there is little doubt that he will share the fate of the other members...
...new government shows a victory—perhaps still incomplete— not simply over the emigres as such, bst over those who had shown their totalitarian and anti-American feelings...
...one of de tisullist's totalitarian-minded groups...
...The new aecretary-generel of the Socialist party, Daniel Mayer, published an article in whirh he asserted the necessity of present-dsy France preserving its bends with former France and her free and democratic traditions...
...Those of the underground publications {Combo*, Franc-TireurK etc...
...Likewise the champions of a single party system have been thrown overboard...
...Those who have lieen acquainted with the tendencies in the Algiers Committee will find in the recent repeated modifications of the de Gaulle government strong evidence of this unpopularity...
...Aa many Frenchmen rightly asserted, de Gaulle was a symbol for France in her Ight for liberation but never n "leader" whom the country wss willing to follow blindly...
...Their leaders immediately detected the tine character of this agitation and vigorously fought it...
...Representative of the old school of trench radicalism, Janneney maintained a steadfast attitude throughout the difficult years of the pre-war Political chaos as well as later after the catastrophe...
...Hi Was among those who in 1943 fully supported the Socialists jn their effort to restore the former parties »nd later on became the initiator of a bloc composed "f deputies and senators who were antagonistic toward t^Viehy government...
...For instance, when Mr...
...The fight around the issue of a "Single Party" was going on in the French underground as well as among the French political emigres...
...This activity disrupted the' plans of the supporters of the "Single Party," and the only public record that remained of the latter was an appeal for its support, broadcast on the Moscow radio in January 1943, in the name of a part of the groups of resistance...
...The great majority of these resistance groups adhered to the proposition formulated by the Socialists, and in the spring of 1943 the National Council of Resistance was created...
...Even such commentators as the I'M correspondent noted that the American army is far more popular in France then a Russian army, although the admiration for the latter's heroic fight ia undoubtedly very great...
...This popularity of de Gaulle, however, did not extend to hia Algiers Committee or his general policy...
...This is not only because American soldiers have liberated the greatest part of France...
...The champions of a single party atill try to carry out their policy, although they do not fully unfold their program...
...But from a political point of view tuck a eettasrrie* i* incorrect, beeaute every important undergrtmd group hod Ho repreientatioet abroad, while eaery "•"U'e ll<m'f *'°* Hiked with tome underground tront rHStd* France...
...most of them are no longer members of the government...
...It is no longer • secret that a large number of French underground periodicals were a rioted outside of France and then smuggled into the cavalry, and many of them which spoke in the name of the movement of resistance were edited ahioad by ,mif Frenchmen...
...At a result de Gaulle had to remove from hit government thote of hit adherent* whote namet were linked with the emit-American policy trend...
...The fight aroused on this issue played an important part in Algiers Committee as well as in the French underground, and, according to reports . from France, is still going on...
...Some of the French underground suggested the creation of a "Single (National French) Party" which would unite all the groups of resistance under the banner of General de Gaulle and be substituted for the former parties...
...Those who were removed were net displaced because of their label of emigres, but because in the Algiers Committee they represented the totalitarian minded groups inside France (Mr...
...1 RK present struggle in the de Gaulle government proceeds from two principal motives: first, to eliminate as much as possible the former emigres, and secondly, to replace the totalitarian minded "underground men" by the advocates of a democratic regime...
...D'Astier de la Vigerie from Frone-Ttreur, Mr...
...The opposition waa led, by the French Socialists...
...By now he has been compelled "> change his attitude...
...This policy found itt strongest expression in the projects enacted in Algiers concerning the press legislation (they provided monopoly of foreign news, concentrated the press in the hands of de Gaul 11st groups, etc...
...An illustration of this struggle ran be found in the controversy that took place recently between the Socialists and the "Combats...
Vol. 27 • September 1944 • No. 39
