M. Mayer's Way
Having left Paris for Washington in a flurry of political troubles, M. Mayer has had to keep one eye on the French domestic scene while negotiating with President Eisenhower on what are ostensibly international questions. This is a pity in several ways. France really is faced with a number of crucial decisions, on which her whole future as a Great Power depends. And the provisional opinion on those questions of a United States Government which is still feeling its way to a firm foreign policy should be a secondary rather than a primary factor Influencing the French decision. Quite apart from American aid, the French Government and people must decide just how far they can go, and what further sacrifices they are willing to make, to win the war in Indo-China. Quite apart from the opinions of Mr. Dulles, France must decide whether she really wants a European Defence Community and how soon she wants it. The decisions that M. Mayer takes back to Paris from Washington may decide the immediate fate of his Government one way or the other, but they cannot settle the great debate on these two questions. Above all, the second question, concerning the E.D.C., must be faced by Frenchmen alone. The West German Government has already advanced far along the road to ratification of the E.D.C. treaty. There need be no difficulty from the other parties to that treaty, if France goes ahead. Certainly the suggestion that the future status of the Saar must be settled before any further advance to ratification can be made does not hold water. In fact it looks, and has always looked, like a device to gain time. If in fact the French people need more time to consider the next step, then there is no good reason why they should not ask for it and get it, without pressure or excuse. They need not rush into it either to save the present Government, or to please the Americans. But in the meantime it is most essential that the defence of Western Europe should be developed and strengthened through the international body that already exists expressly for that purpose—the North. Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
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