VICTORY FOR DE GAULLE

Chronicle (Levin), 22 October 1947, Page 5

VICTORY FOR DE GAULLE

(N.Z.P.A,-

-Reuter,

— Success Comes Sooner Than Was Expected

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R-eeeived Tuesday, 7-.15 p.m. ■=> LONDON, Oet. 21. General de Gaulle aims as seeuring po-wer and he will regard the result of the municipal eiections as a rnandate rrom a good part of tlhe eleetorate to do so, says the Ti'mes' Paris correspondeht. He will claim he has the support of what is left of the M.R.P., its voters and eA-en its leaders. He considers that the abstainers are on his side rather tlian AA'ith the Communists and that Avhen he forces the issue accord; ing to/his rnandate, "a feAv Socialist leaders -will join him with about twothirds of its voting strength." ^ The question arises how can this weight of fa\rourable opinion be harnessed to the task of bringing de Gaulle to power. His supporters and himself have fx-equently asserted their determination to respect the law and the Avliole of de Gaulle 's career suggests that this is his constant preoccupation. Malraux, the Avriter, who is head of de Gaulle 's propaganda department, said yesterdav that even if de Gaulle were offered the premiership by the President of the Republic and with the approval of a Parliamentary majority and of the Avorkers' organisations, he would not take it Avithout a referendum and direet rnandate from the people. The Times' correspondent adds that those around de Gaulle expect first, a regrouping of the deputies with the emergence of a de Gaullet group. This might not occur at once. At a later stage, probably after the intensification of labour difiiculties, dje Gaulle would be called on to form a Government. His first step Avould be to secure c-onstitu tional alterations which he considers tiecessary, among "which is the right of dissolution Avhen there is a change of GoA-ernment. This eonstitutional change would almost certainly (though not quite necessarily) inA^olve a referendum and tlie eiections which would follow would be designed to giA^e de Gaulle the popular rnandate he rec{uires. General de Gaulle 's success has come sooner than Avas expected or indeed wanted. Tt is generally agreed he cannot alford to keep his supporters waiting but that the time is not quite ripe for the developments described. The Gommunist Partv will do its best to opnose them and no doubt to prevent de Gaiille from evpr taking power witliout some dogree of illegalitv. France and its Government face an anxious and disturbing future. ,