The Quick and the Dead

With quick, nimble feet France's Premier Mendes-France danced around the political quicksands of the Palais Bourbon last week and brought German rearmament so close to ratification that Russia responded with her most powerful propaganda attack on France in years.

Mendes had promised the world a French

Assembly vote on the Paris accords by Dec. 23. He had also declared himself in favor of ratification first and a meeting with Malenkov later. But powerful French right-wing Deputies, no longer able to delay the vote, sought to delay implementation of the treaties--to give Russia chance to show by her actions that German rearmament was unnecessary. Mendes moved with accustomed nimbleness. The French charge d'affaires in Moscow was instructed to talk with Molotov about the Austrian peace treaty. Then Mendes told the rightist Deputies: "If the Russians really have anything to say, they can say it to the charge."

Angry Russians. The Russians had plenty to say. In a 1,400-word communique they attacked the French government for not having accepted the Russian proposal for an all-European security conference and promised to step up Russian military preparedness if the Paris accords are signed. Then, in Moscow's Hall of Columns, before a picked audience, including French Ambassador Louis Joxe, Molotov made a direct appeal to France to reject the Paris accords, which, he said, would be "regarded as a military menace."

On the platform were Communist Bosses Malenkov and Khrushchev and Marshals Bulganin and Voroshilov. Beside Molotov. under a placard proclaiming, in French and Russian. Franco-Russian friendship, sat French Communist Poet Louis Aragon. Blustered Molotov: "We shall not be caught napping by ratification of the Paris agreements ... If need be, the Soviet Union will demonstrate its right and the righteousness of our cause. The Soviet Union and the Chinese People's Republic and the People's Democracies have such manpower, and enjoy such support abroad, that there is no force in the world that could arrest our progress along the path we choose."

In Paris, before the sound of Molotov's saber-rattling could reach French ears, the Assembly's powerful Foreign Affairs Committee took a vote. This was the formidable body that had doomed EDC, 24 to 18. Now, by a combination of ayes, nays and abstentions, it recommended ratification of German rearmament, by a majority of but one vote.*By this narrow margin, Mendes, man of close shaves, had got past another difficulty. Next week the Assembly itself will debate ratification.

Bedtime Scheme. It was not Mendes' only close shave of the week. Lying awake one night at Blair House during his recent visit to Washington, Mendes-France thought of a scheme for France's troubles in Tunisia. Why not offer an amnesty to the fellaghas (outlaws) in the Tunisian hills, induce them to lay down their arms? Tunisian nationalists insist they deplore violence; let them prove it. French rightists were against any kind of dealing with the fellaghas. Mendes' ten-day amnesty offer came to an end on the eve of a vote on his North African policy. He was able to report that 2,500 fellaghas, more than the number estimated to have been at large, had come down from the hills and surrendered 2,000 pieces of armament. With this news, Mendes won Assembly approval of his policy at 6 a.m., after an all-night debate, by a majority of 29 votes. "Small, but good," said Mendes with weary satisfaction.

Things were looking up again for him. The week had also seen the inauguration of the Mendes plan of distributing milk to all French schoolchildren as part of his drive against France's alarming increase in alcoholism. Schoolchildren in the town of Chatelet-en-Brie bravely tried the strange drink in lieu of their usual watered wine. But Mendes himself, who takes something stronger on occasion himself and is a little tired of all the milk publicity, scorned the usual pre-debate glass of milk on the rostrum beside him.

*Even the one vote majority was something of a freak. A Deputy, who stepped out of the room just before the balloting, said he had meant to abstain but was recorded aye. He did not change his vote, however.

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