851.00/12–2746: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
us urgent
[Received December 27—1:22 p.m.]
6285. Léon Blum told me this morning that for the first time in many a month he feels encouraged:
- 1.
- The overall economic situation in France has taken a very recent turn for the better;
- 2.
- Prices have gone down for a few articles;
- 3.
- The Government has been successful in making some reductions in the budget;
- 4.
- But above all, the Communist Party as well as the MRP have recently shown signs of being more willing to cooperate with his government as well as with each other.
He went on to say that he believes Auriol will be elected President of the Republic and will form the government that “I tried unsuccessfully to form”. I said: “Why would the Communists agree to cooperate in January when they would not agree to cooperate in December?” He said: “First of all because the French people as a whole are sick and tired of political bickering and party maneuvering and in case of another political impasse they will put the blame where it belongs on the party which refuses to cooperate and the Communists who have ears always very close to the ground know that. Also, as I know you know, an internal feud broke out recently in the Communist Party between Thorez and Duclos on the one side, and Marty and Mauvais on the other, Marty and Mauvais taking the line that Thorez and Duclos are not ‘men of action’. Of course I know full well,” he added, “that the moment the Kremlin speaks the feud will be over but even among Communists feuds leave a bitter taste in some men’s mouths.”