The Nome Nugget

TOLERANCE IS STRENGTH
(THE DENVER POST)

The strength of democracy was aptly illustrated last
week when the French chamber of deputies voted Premier
Marie’s government emergency powers to deal
with the national economic situation. That vote lifted a
great obstacle to the success of the European recovery
plan. It is only the most recent in a series of incidents
when men of greatly varying political beliefs gathered
themselves to vote together--and staved off the strong
Communist group in the French parliament.

Many of the men who voted to give Finance Minister
Reynaud almost dictatorial economic powers did not
want to. The Socialists, in particular, fretted about giving
so much strength to the government. Yet they voted
for the bill because they knew that it was essential to
the success of the Marshall plan.

But, like other Communist parties, the French communists
have always followed a strictly Kremlin line.
Now they are attempting to pull France out of the ERP.
In 1939-40 they tried to keep her out of the war against
Germany--after signature of the Berlin-Moscow pact.
If there is any doubt as to the ultimate loyalty of
other Communist parties, there should be none as to the
loyalty of the French communists. To the detriment of
France they have consistently looked to the east. During
the war, Maurice Thorez, secretary of the party, deserted
from the French army rather than fight against
Stalin's temporary allies.

After the war, the Communists first tried to gain control
of the government. Failing that, they did take over
the ministry of industry. They were so much more concerned
with proselytizing than production that the Communist
minister of industry was finally removed. Last
winter, they attempted to stage a general strike to defeat
the Marshall plan, cause chaos in France and gain
control of the government. They supported the interests
of France only between 1941 and 1945, when
French interests were the same as those of Moscow--to
defeat the Nazis.

Perhaps it is difficult to understand why the French
democracy tolerates a party which has so openly shown
its derision of freedom and its foreign loyalty. Not to the
French. With the exception of General de Gaulle and
the extreme right, they believe that every man should
be entitled to his opinions, and they know it would be
dangerous to force the Communists underground.

Being intensely practical, as well as intensely democratic,
the French tolerate their Communists.

Of course this has made for trouble. Yet it has not
made nearly so much trouble as the presence of strong
democratic elements would make in a Communist police
state--if they were ever permitted. The communists
do not permit freedoms or democratic parties to exist,
because they know that those would be their downfall.
Democracy can despise Communism but tolerates
Communists. No brand of totalitarianism can tolerate
democracy, for that toleration would
destroy
them.

There is the strength of democracy.