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At the same time, artistic circles were informed that Picasso had form–
ally joined the Communist Party, and scientists such as Joliot-Curie
and Langevin invested the Communist Party with an intellectual aura.
Communist tendencies were also predominant within the
Confederation
Generale du Travail,
where the position of secretary-general fell to
Bepoit Frachon of the Party Executive. Etc.
But the
Front National,
which was definitely under Communist in·
fluence, was opposed by the
Mouuement de Liberation Nationale,
which
includes a few former and present members of the Right, such as
d'Astier de Ia Vigerie, numerous socialists and trade-union men and a
pro-Communist minority; and this movement decided to strengthen the
Socialist Party by joining it as one man. The pro-Communist elements
reacted by suggesting the merging of the two important groups of the
Resistance. So far, they have failed in this attempt. In the meantime,
with the restoration of political parties, the influence of the Resistance
has decreased.
It is generally admitted that the Radical Party has lost a great deal
of its prestige, but it still' has enough power to regroup conservative ele–
ments. The Socialist Party has reappeared with renewed vitality and
seized control of the municipal governments of large Southern communi–
ties, such as Marseilles and Toulouse, and now publishes again the Party
daily
Le Populaire;
this party can count on the loyalty of the working
classes and its active members at times insist that it is the most popular
party, which
I
am inclined to believe. The Socialist Party has also become
the natural haven of middle class people who have developed in the
direction of a moderate socialism. The language of this party is honest
and firm, without novelty or verve, very careful, no doubt too careful.
It is very _.friendly towards the Communists, but deeply suspicious of
them. The two parties have now formed a "Committee of Co-ordi–
nation," though at a very late stage in the game. The formation of a
committee of organic unity, whose work will be anything but easy,
has also been announced. The Socialists doubt very much whether unity
between believers in democracy and totalitarians would lead to anything
but the domination of the former by the latter. There are, however, the
weighty arguments of foreign policy in favor of this.
The Christian Democrat Movement
(Mouuement Republicain
Populaire),
is young and vigorous. Its members include Georges Bidault,
Teitgen and Francois de Menthon, all three of whom are members of the
Provisional French Government. Its framework consists of intelligent but
disinterested men such as those of the pre-war
Esprit
group, and it is
backed by the Christian unions and can count on some support from
the Vatican.
The pre-war revolutionary minorities are no longer in favor. The
Parti Ouurier et Paysan
(PSOP), founded in 1938-1939 by Marceau
Pivert, Lucien Herard, Daniel Guerin, Collinet and several thousand
