Suspense

This week, four weeks after the liberation of Paris, the prevailing mood of middle and upper class Frenchmen was worry. People still smiled warmly, and in the houses of the haute bourgeoisie near the Bois there was always a profusion of flowers and of cold dry champagne to drive away the drowsiness that follows the rich meals. But after dinner the talk turned inevitably to politics which, in these houses, meant one thing: how to prevent Communism. The feeling was one of intense fear of something that might come any day.

These well-dressed, well-fed people did not fare badly under the Germans. "They destroyed beautiful things, got drunk, acted like swine. After that we simply tolerated them until you came." And now they would like things to become normal again. But General de Gaulle is committed to a certain amount of state control of business and the, left keeps pressing for more. A week ago an astute rightist said: the right must vote socialist to keep the Communists out of power. This week the same man said: "The Communists will get out of hand. Let them. Then your Army will have to ask De Gaulle to keep order. He cannot refuse."*

What Price Liberalism? How much of leftist France is liberal or moderately socialist and how much is Communist, no one will know until France votes. But the growing tension between the Provisional Government and the extreme left is changing the mood of the liberals from confidence to uncertainty. Foreign Minister Georges Bidault's "revolution by law" may never have a chance.

What worries liberals is whether France, with an admittedly unrepresentative Government and with tensions from both extremes, can hold together long enough for the people to express their will.

What Price Unity? In proletarian Paris the people dine on soup, macaroni, maybe a little bread and sour wine. But among Communist leaders there is confidence in approaching victory. The Communist Party is the only party which is well organized, and has a program. It is growing.

Said a Communist leader this week: "The Communist Party supports the Provisional Government, but does not admit that it represents the people's will. We will support the Government for the sake of unity. De Gaulle has promised an election when the prisoners and deportees return. He has promised to turn the Government over to the elected representatives of the people. The Government must not--the Government dare not--thwart the will of the people."

In France no politically acute mind disputed these facts:

1) The right is finished as a political force. The right is the first to admit it. Its only chance is military rule. 2) The Communist Party is the strongest political force in France. Though it probably does not represent a majority of the nation, it may well come into power--as much because of the disorganization of its foes as because of its own strength.

But against these facts stood another fact: France, through her four years of struggle, has achieved a spiritual unity that may withstand the tensions from both left and right. If it does, France will have a republic, moving steadily leftward. If it does not, France will have Communism or a military dictatorship.

*This week General De Gaulle, back from a tour of Southern France, made up his mind about a vital question: What to do with the F.F.I? Characteristically, he incorporated the F.F.I enlisted men and noncoms into the French Army as F.F.I units, did not decide whether F.F.I. officers would continue their old commands. Neither the right nor the left was pleased.

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