France Faces EDC
The French Assembly has fearfully grasped the nettle and begun, for the first time for nearly two years, to debate the treaty of the European Defence Community. At this stage, it is not a question of ratifying the treaty, but of providing a French Prime Minister with a brief on which to discuss German rearmament at Bermuda. Yet the debate may well decide not only whether M. Laniel will still be in office by December 4th, but whether Britain and America can continue to base their European policy on the concept of a Franco- , German military federation The debate began, in effect. outside the Chamber last Thursday, when General de Gaulle came out of his tent to warn France against the European Army. The General's genius is in his capacity to make people feel uncomfortable, to touch that nerve in their consciences which makes them hear the compulsion in his remarks above the prejudice and pride in which they are enveloped. On Thursday he falsely indicted Dr. Adenauer, the United States, Britain and M. Jean Monnet for conspiring to force France under the domination of Germany. But he spoke the uncom- fortable truth when he said that honorary membership of a club is not a serious affair if you do not have to pay dues. For this, in the last analysis, could be Britain's relationship to a European Army. When all has been said about Britain's Commonwealth commitments, the real difference between Britain's position with regard to Europe and that of France lies not in the (untrue) argument that Britain has an Empire and France has not, but in the theory that Britain has a limited involvement in the affairs of the continent and France has an absolute involvement. It is the same theory that was expounded by Sir Austen Chamberlain in 1925 with such disastrous effects for France and Britain alike, and it is more demonstrably fallacious in 1953.
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