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Show French Dampen Nazi Hopes For Rebirth as Red Check By BAUKIIAGE News Analyst and Commentator. WNU Service, 1016 Eye Street, N.W., Washington, D. C. The ghost of Adolph Hitler, reported report-ed to have been executing a little clog dance ol joy on Europe's political po-litical rubble heap, like the one he performed after signing the armistice of defeated de-feated France, is probably not quite so cheerful today. to-day. His prediction of chaos or communism com-munism in Europe, Eu-rope, a wishful "apres mois le ( deluge," hit a , """"s setback for the second time when the sturdy, middle-of-the-road Frenchman got behind the middle-of-the-road Republican Catholic party, and defeated the Communists, Commu-nists, Just as an earlier vote killed the constitution which the Reds wanted. Because Hitler knew his greatest hope for a Nazi rebirth was a Communistic Com-munistic Germany, his spirit probably prob-ably rejoiced when the iron curtain went down on Germany's eastern frontiers, and one of Russia's border bor-der countries after another were bulldozed Into one-party, leftist-front leftist-front rule. With France turned Communist, Germany would be an island in a red sea, and would soon have to take on protective coloring, it was assumed. The next step, according to Hitler's hope, was the reaction to Naziism. Now, for the first time ilnce V-E Day, France seems to have shaken off her carmine shackles. Before the recent election, some quarters were predicting that if the French middle class and peasants could not get rid of the left-wing domination with ballots, they would try it with bullets. The left-wingers themselves were warning of a reactionary revolution, revo-lution, and as late as the spring if this year dire warnings were being be-ing sounded. MRP Seeks Unity Against Class War Donald B. Robinson, former civil affairs officer in France, wrote in the April Mercury magazine that: "In no nation of northwestern Europe Eu-rope are there such distrust and loathing between classes and groups as in France today. The bitter dis-sention dis-sention which has driven General de Gaulle into retirement, and constantly con-stantly threatens the precarious equilibrium maintained by the left coalition, is rooted in implacable hate between the moderates, centrists cen-trists and rightists on the one hand and the Communists on the other. . . ." This situation complicated the Allies' Al-lies' problems in regard to Germany. Ger-many. However, with France now staggering to her feet, there is a chance for more harmony among the western Allies, and It is possible that Germany, with proper controls and minus a huge slice of the rich mineral land of the Saar in French hands, may have her three zones Bnffl.Dntlv ,,ntto in Yaain in ciin. port herself; to start to pay some of her bills with the consumer goods that her neighbor nations want from ' her, and can't get anywhere else. The results of the French elections elec-tions are particularly gratifying from the standpoint of the western Allies because they appear to have established a degree of harmony among the more conservative French elements without revealing a reactionary trend. The triumphant Popular Repub-. Repub-. lican movement (MRP) had a platform plat-form which, according to French authorities, went beyond the political politi-cal field to take a moral stand. The platform stressed the need for re-enforcing re-enforcing unity among the newcomers newcom-ers (the right wing elements of the Socialist party made up of members mem-bers of the old resistance), and all those opposing the efforts (by the Communists) to incite class hatred. At the same time, the MRP dis: avowed all connection with the Radical Socialists, who, despite their name, are considered too conservative con-servative by many members of the resistance who formerly had joined in a common front with the Communists. Com-munists. The election results may mean a change in Russian policy, for in spite of themselves, the western Allies Al-lies have been forced to take unified uni-fied action if an action at all was to be taken. It is possible that Russia Rus-sia was merely stalling, hoping to establish her influence in Eu rope, including France. Now that j this strategy has failed in regard to France, she may be more cooperative. co-operative. Either that ... or resign herself to taking an Allied western bloc and liking it. Special Interests Deluge Washington The lobby barometer of the present pres-ent congress has run up a pressure pres-sure record this session which is probably an all-time high. Never in , the history of the capital have , there been more pressure groups operating, as the listings under "as- j sociations" in the classified section ! of the Washington telephone direc-: tory testify. j The "associations'." fill 14 columns ; and very few are not interested in some kind of legislation, pending or j prospective, and interested enough to have an office in the capital or at least a telephone number. There j are a lot more with offices under J the hats of their representatives, j which prefer to remain anonymous to the public. Alphabetically speaking, the i American Automobile association j leads the list, and the Zionists and George Zook conclude it. One newcomer has nudged itself right up to second place the Am-vets, Am-vets, one of the 26 veterans organizations organ-izations listed, including the American Ameri-can Legion and the Buck Privates association as examples of the old and the new. Alcoholics Anonymous appear, not so anonymous this time. There Is the Association of University Professors, Pro-fessors, and right next door, the University Women, which makes it congenial. There are bakers, bankers, bank-ers, members of the bar, and (no relation) bottlers of carbonated beverages. The "antis" are present four of them: Anti-Cigarette alliance; Anti-Defamation Anti-Defamation league; Anti-Poll Tax committee: and, of course, the Anti-Saloon Anti-Saloon league, to balance the Liquor dealers and the Distillers institute further on down the page. Certain happier combinations suggest sug-gest themselves. Take the National Caterers and Sandwich Makers association as-sociation and the Mayonnaise and Salad Dressing manufacturers who together symbolize a fine old American Amer-ican institution. There is specialization in lobbying, lobby-ing, too. Don't think the National Association of Ornamental Nonfer-rous Nonfer-rous Metals manufacturers lets the National Association of Ornamental Metal manufacturers tend to their special needs. And when it comes to boxes, you cannot put them all in one pile either. The weatherproof, corrugated corru-gated variety, the weatherpoof fiber fi-ber containers and the plain fiber boxers, each hoe their own row, not to mention (though you had better, tf you are a congressman, unless you want to fill one of their products) prod-ucts) the ordinary National Wooden Box association. Press Gets Its Azerbaijans Mixed Up If the citizens of the Persian province prov-ince of Azerbaijan, in whose desires for indeDendence the Soviets have showed such a tender interest of late, ever read American periodicals, periodi-cals, they may have been considerably consider-ably surprised to learn from several sev-eral recent articles that their country is rich in oil fields. Information to this effect would have startled an oil expert friend of mine who has spent considerable time in that country, if he hadn't known his geography better than the writers of the articles. He knew (what I didn't until he told me) that there are rich fields of oil in Azerbaijan, Azer-baijan, all right, but that it is a different Azerbaijan many miles away, where Baku is located. But then how many Azerbaijanians Azerbai-janians (or Americans) know there is a Buffalo in Wyoming (where buffaloes ought to be) as well as one on the shores of Lake Erie? Sees Democratic Victory in Fall As the senators took a hitch in their togas on the ides of May this election year, the popular prediction for the kalends of November was a retention of Democratic control of the house of representatives, and a loss of only five or six Democratic Democrat-ic seats in the upper chamber. This at least a hardened soothsayer sooth-sayer could venture to say, provided he didn't whisper it too loudly. Said soothsayer, I might add, always al-ways hedged to the extent of adding: add-ing: "As of today." |
