SDF NEWS
LETTERS To the Editor Clair and Nicolaevsky — Some Questions on the Changes in De Gaulle's Government From LOUIS CLAIR S» the Editor: In the Septmeber S3 issue, Mr. Boris Nicolaevsky's...
...Along with the main Aim is a lengthy travelogue, "Vive La France," ranging over nit sections of the land that is everyone's "second fatherland," showing "the only existing mdMm pictures of France's cultural and scenic splendors...
...3—Mr...
...This latter fact could determine the policy of tbe democrats toward DeGaulle: they should support him every time he acts in the interest of democracy but st the same time tight any return to the "Algerian" trends...
...There is no indication, however, that DeGaulle is dissociating himself from this tendency which is more or less openly trying to promote him ss the future Leader of France...
...Nicolaevsky says that "representatives of totalitarian minded groups like Franay from Combat and Astitr de la Vigerie from Frane-Tirtur were removed...
...in fact everything I said about Franc Tireur applies even to a greater extent to Liberation...
...The motto adopted by the promotors of such a party ("Un soul chef—DeGaulle") appeared both in Frane Tireur and Liberation at the beginning of 1943...
...However, he was the founder, together with the Socialist Andre Philip, of the Liberation group and is now codirector with the Socialist deputy Pierre Bloch of the Paris edition of their paper, also called Liberation...
...J.T...
...The Paramount Theatre's greatest discovery, Sinatra is assisted by Ramond Paige and his 40 piece Stage Door Canteen Radio Orchestra...
...However, the official Socialist Party repudiated the idea of a personal dictatorship by DeGaulle and they steadily fought against the idea of a totslit*ri*» dWeutorahip ("one party...
...As to DeGaulle, anyent who read my article could see that I insisted on the fact that his role will depend on whether or not he would be willing and capable of breaking off with the Algerian policy trends...
...anyone who had seen only a single issue of Franc Tireur and Liberation of 1943-44 could not overlook the presence of this DeGaullist totalitarian motto...
...While it supports DeGaulle, it ia mainly composed of leftwing elements and stands for the revival of the traditions of the Greet French Revolution and is snimsted by s Jacobin ideology...
...The film is based on the hilarious European adventures of Cornelia Otis Skinner and Emily Kimbrough which as a story of the same title made millions of readers laugh...
...Nicolaevsky sees in the recent reorganization\pf the...
...As to the facts: The only error which he is justified in pointing out is about the removal of Frenay, but in this mistake I bear little responsibility: the early reports on the last remodeling of the DeGaulle government, on which my article was bssed announced this removal...
...On the trail of a murder, the Paris (pre-war) police go into several apartments of a house...
...t—-Mr...
...Such stars as Lucien Baroux and Elvire Popesco are in the large cast, with a part for Eric von Stroheim before he came to the United States...
...William Castle staged the play and Willis Knighton designed the production...
...Clair, toe viewpoint of socialism returning to its humanitarian source...
...Nicolaevsky's conclusion that "the new government shows a victory—perhaps still incomplete—not simply over the emigres but over those who hsve shown their totalitarian feelings" seems a rather risky one...
...French film (Englith title* by Hemman G. Weinberg...
...b) Another outstanding represents tive of the same rightist Combat group, De Menthon, is still a member of the De Gaulle government, also in the same position he held before (Minister of Justice...
...S. "OUR HEARTS WERE YOUNGAMD GAY AND SINATRA AT THE PARAMOUNT "Our Hearts Were Young and Gay" is the new screen feature at the N. Y. Paramount Theatre...
...If this is so, this desire does not seem to have bren too effectively fulfilled...
...and belong to the inner DeGaulle circle...
...Boris Nicolaevsky's article "Will DeGaulle Go Democratic T" contains a number of errors which may create wrong impressions of events in France...
...Concerning the interpretation: D'Astier de la Vigerie went abroad in June of 1942 bearing a mandate from Franc Tireur as well as from Liberation (Southern Zone...
...The N. Y. Timet, September 11, 1944...
...Those views combine with the closer view inside the apartment house to make a delightful, if at times nostalgic, film program...
...There are many indications that various members oi tnese organizations did not agree with them (for example Liberation of Faris did not adopt the DeGaulist motto...
...However, this error could have no bearing on the political inference in my article, for the question of exactly how msny "Algerians" had been ousted from the Government (48'/, or 48%) does not change the principle (I said nothing about the resignstion of DeMenton...
...Frank Sinatra returned to the Paramount to head in persan show...
...Nicolaevsky says that the recent reorganisation of DeGaulle's government was motivated by a desire "to eliminate as much as possible the former emigrees...
...The role of D'Astier de Is Vigerie in the creation of Liberation is rightly noted by Mr...
...Clair who apparently understands the meaning of this motto in his article in Politic* makes sn incomprehensible discrimination between Combat, a paper which bore thia motto, and Liberation which, he ssys, printed another, a democratic motto...
...The roles of the Mioses Skinner and Kimbrough are portrayed by Gail Russell and Diana Lynn...
...From BORIS NICOLAEVSKY To the Editor...
...This may be evidence of a possible rapid overcoming of the totalitarian tendencies but there is no doubt that these tendencies were expressed by the lesders, and especially D'Astier de la Vigerie...
...This was immediately after their delegate D'Astier de la Vigerie went for the second time abroad where he entered into an agreement with the leaders of the secret De Gaulle organization...
...7fh WEEK FOR STRAND SHOW The N. Y. Strand will hold its present stage show headed by Charlie Barnet for a 7th and final week starting Friday, October 20th...
...MEET A ROOT...
...Others in person include Eileen Barton, Ollie O'Toole and Pops and Louie...
...The main issue is: What is the basis of totalitarianism...
...In my opinion it is the one-party system which leads to seizure of the state apparatus by one single political party...
...The appearance marks his first on Brosdway in a year and a half...
...At the 55fn Street Playhoute...
...MURDER MYSTERY COMEDf, TO OPEN AT FORREST THEA...
...Clair is aware of this, see his article in Politict, that the question whether D'Astier de la Vigerie formerly belonged to either one or the other is of no importance...
...The tremendous popularity which he has in France gives him great power...
...They cannot of course be celled reactionary snd in my article there is no such allusion...
...Of the 21 members of the new DeGaulle government, at least 12 have come from Algiers, they hold most key positions (Justice, Interior, War, Navy, Economy, Education, etc...
...d) Fmnc-Ttreur is by no means to be counted among the reactionary and totalitarian groups...
...On screen is the Warner Bros, picturization of the hilarious Broadway success, "Arsenic and Old Lace," starring Cary Grant with Raymond Massey, Jack Carson and Peter Lorre...
...The present chief editorisl writer of the Frane-Tireur of Paris is the widely known former Radical-Socialist Albert Bayet, one of the leaders of the "Ligue des Droits de l'Homme...
...And each apartment adds its touch of drama to a swift-moving, intelligently conceived and excellently piayea mm...
...They also forsaw that De Gaulle would unavoidably head this government But in their opinion such a government had to l>e formed by a coalition *f all the groups of misunce'fsft all the former parties...
...For this reason I analyzed the political groupings within the French underground from the point of view of the struggle waging around the idea of creating such a single party with DeGaulle at its head...
...These organizations were in general so closely connected both organizationally and politically (Mr...
...There certainly exists a totalitarian tendency in France today, as it existed already before both in the Underground snd in Algiers...
...The fact that some Socialists, even such a noted one ns Andr4 Philip, took an active part in these organizations, does not in any way contradict my inference...
...Let's examine the facta which he musters to prove his point: 1—Mr...
...Clair's inability to discern the importance of the "one party" issue axplains his confusion of the role played by the French Socialists...
...The first band to be held over for 7 weeks in the history of the Strand Theatre, Barnet also celebrated his 10th anniversary in show business last week...
...D<Gaulle government a step toward a democratic and anti-totalitarian orientation...
...Nicolaevsky says that "Socialists were opposed to De Gaulle's policy- If >>y "Socialists" he means the official Socialist Party (SFIO), they must have kept this seceret very closely because in all their publications they have always proved to be among the staunchest defenders of DeGaulle, ever ready to support a "strong government" under him...
...H. Clay Blaney will present "Meet a Body . . a murdermystery comedy by Jane Hinton at the Forrest Theatre, on Monday evening, October 16...
...Fast and Amusing French Film at 55th Street Playhouse BEHIND THE HOUSE-FRONT ••82 RUE DE MOST MART RE...
...This should be kept in mind if one wants to understand the struggle inside the---imsuU of resistance...
...they considered it necessary to allow dictatorial powers to the government which would come to life after the Germans had been ousted...
...It should be noted in passing that leading Socialists, such as Andre Philip and Andre Le Troquer, have been removed...
...At present only the ministers of Agriculture and of Post-and-Telepragh belong to the SFIO...
...Clair's differences with me are not on the level of fact but interpretation...
...Numerous totalitarian elements are members of the present government, as they were of the previous pnes...
...The facta are: (a) Frenay, of the rightist Combat is still a member of the DeGaulle 'cabinet and holds the same pout which he held in Algiers (Minister for Prisoners and Deportees...
...This power may play a positive role in building a democratic France especially now when the Communists are making a bid for power...
...I, myself, noted in my article the msufftciencee from the democratic point of view of the changes which occurred ia the latest remodeling of the DeCeulW government but what I wanted to point out was that although incomplete them changes were nevertheless directed toward democracy...
...c) Astier de la Vigerie has never been associated with the FrancTireur group...
...For without such dictatorial powers no government can exist now in France...
...The cast headed by Al Shean, Whitford Kane, Harry G ribbon, Ruth McDevitt, Forrest Orr and Le Roi Operti includes Helene Ambrose, John McQuade, Nan Butler, Dann Malloy, Paul Potter, Stephen Morrow and John Boyd...
...Such a line of policy is of course s complex and difficult one but it is the only one which csn bring good results from the viewpoint indicated by Mr...
...ine stories range in mood from the tender and the pathetic to the comic, and to the grim, as this "Grand Hotel" apartment house is stripped of its front wall and we watch the souls within...
...Others' in the cast include Charlie Ruggles, Dorothy Gish, Beulah Bondi, James Brown and Bill Edwards...
...Of course the latter participated in the movement of resistance headed by DeGaulle...
...The fact that those who express the oneparty system for France came also from Socialist ranks makes them no less totalitarian . I must state here that in speaking about the "totalitarian" trends of these organizations I have in mind the tendencies of only the main group of their leaders...
...In the light of these facts, Mr...
...What I actually aaid is that all these groups should be placed in the category of "totalitarian-minded" ones...
...On * the contrary...
Vol. 27 • October 1944 • No. 42
