Place de Gaulle Holds In French Politics

Chronicle (Levin), 30 April 1948, Page 5

Place de Gaulle Holds In French Politics

Received Tliursday, 7 p.m. LONDON, April 29. General de Gaulle, who spent tlie past year forging himself a political niacliine oiit of a varied assortment of Conserva tives, disillusioned Leftists, social visionaries, patriots and opportunist.s, has linally emorged with a detailod plan for political action and a schedule oalling for his inimediate return to power, says the New York HeraldTribuue. II i s plan and his machino were concretely visible recently at M'arseilles where the General 's Rally of the French People (JEP.F.)t held its first " national assizes. " i11 Paris the plan is now being tooled into legislativ© proposals by a corps of astute politicians and the maehine is stepping up the pace of its operatious. The General and his l'ollowers are looking seriously to th.e coming month of May for a possible showdouji. In May, for the iirst time since'he started his drive for power, the present National Assemblv could be dissolved constitutionally and new national elections held without the passage of any enabling legislation beforehand. Ironically enough, however, the growing strength of the General 's organisatinn during the past year, ap pears to have been olfset by a more recent decline in General de Gaulle 's own personal strength. A year ago the General launched the K'.P.F. and today

it claims 1,500,000 niembers — far more tlian the (hnninunist Party's roster. A year ago the R.P.F. numbered almost no workers. Today H.P.F. cells are e.xpanding in hundreds of factories throughout France. But the basis of the General 's appeal is that multi-party government of France is incapable of governing and4 today that accusation appears increasinglv invalid. It is true that last Oeto ber the luP.F. scored a great victory wheir its ccandidatres- amasS'e'f] nearl.v 40 per cent. of the popular. vote in ' the. j countrywide municipar elections but ballots were cast amidst a welter of crises and economic difticulties and thev mav well have represented the hig'h point in the R.P.F. 's political career. Today the Govenfment of Preniier Robert Schuman seems well entfenched. With the application of American interim aid and the promise of an oper- , ative European recovery programme, II. Wchuman 's position is not likely to weaken unless there is a sudden and successful Gonimunist onslaught. But General de Gaulle, as a political factor in France, is no nmn to be discounted, His programme and his organisation *is now taking concrete shape.