On a Spree

It had been too good to last. For a while, after France had seized the initiative in Western Europe by putting forth the Schuman Plan, it had looked as if the volatile French had finally settled down. But last week they went on a political spree again. Even as it was playing host to the Schuman Plan conference, Premier Georges Bidault's eight-month-old government lost a vote of confidence in the Assembly, was forced to resign.

The Socialists, who have brought down the last four French governments, defeated Bidault's coalition because he refused to grant a pay raise they had demanded for France's government employees. The Socialists thought that the raise would win them votes in the next election. Bidault thought that the raise, which would have cost the government some three billion francs ($9,000,000), would lead to other demands, eventually wreck his budget. Some felt that Bidault might have skirted a crisis by more adroit politicking. In any case, he walked right into it, said flatly: "These claims are often justified, but it is the government's duty to say what is possible and what is not possible." He pointed to France's increased economic stability, pleaded: "Defeat of the cabinet would upset the negotiations on the Schuman Plan."

The Socialists said they were all for the Schuman Plan, but they regretfully voted Bidault out, anyway.

President Vincent Auriol, who had to find a man who would attempt to form a new cabinet, was for the moment more interested in picking a winner for the Grand Prix, France's most fashionable horse race. On Sunday morning he interviewed a dozen political leaders, then hurried to the Longchamp race track with the plaintive explanation: "Ever since I took office I have been prevented from attending the race. This time I'm going to see my favorite Vieux Memoir run. I have bet some money on Vieux Manoir"

Auriol's favorite won by two lengths on a soggy track. But by week's end, Auriol had still not picked a cabinet winner.

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