Vote of Tolerance

For weeks France's Communists have been under orders to agitate against the war in Algeria, demonstrating against troop-train departures, plastering up posters, organizing protest meetings--all with a fine disregard of the fact that only three months ago the party's Deputies voted solidly to give the government a free hand in Algeria. Now Premier Guy Mollet had confronted them--and all French parties--with a demand for a "package" vote of confidence on his whole policy, including both Algeria and his domestic program.

In a heated caucus of the Communist Party councils, rank-and-file militants said they had been having a hard time explaining how the Communists could oppose the war in Algeria and still support the Socialist government. They demanded a show of hands, even though such a demand is hard to square with the theory of Communist discipline. The party elders, however, felt bound to hew to the Kremlin's new doctrine of fraternizing with the Socialists, whether or not the comradeship is reciprocated.

After 53 speeches by assorted comrades, ailing Party Chief Maurice Thorez rasped his decision: the party would abstain in the Chamber of Deputies. Said Thorez: "It is absolutely imperative today that we do not detach ourselves from the Socialists. We must therefore avoid raising the barrier of a hostile vote."

Thanks to the Communists' embarrassment, Mollet eked out a vote of confidence, 271 to 59, with all 144 Communists and most conservatives abstaining. Less than half the Assembly's 593 Deputies had voted for him. "Technically a vote of confidence," said the London Times, "but in reality only one of tolerance."

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.