By SAM RUSSELL
LONDON, ENG.

ECENT events ‘in France
and Italy have thrown a
new light on the pernnial

problem facing the’ working-
class movement in Western Eu-
rope of what is to be done to
ensure the defeat of reaction in
these countries.

- The short answer to this
problem is, of course, to achieve
the unity of the working-class
and progressive forces — in the
first place of Socialists and

Communists — in. this struggle

in which they have a common
aim.

The rather bitter experiences,
particularly of the postwar
years, have shown that this is
easier said than done. The al-
most pathological hatred of
Communism of many right-
wing Socialist leaders has made
the path to such unity exceed-
ingly difficult.

But recent events. in Italy and
France have shown that the
struggle for the political unity

of the working-class and Social--

ist forces is making important
practical progress.

Even the enemies of Commu-
nism concede that in these
countries it is the Communist
Party that is the premier party
of the working class, at the
same time speaking for impor-
tant sections of intellectuals
and professional people.

In both these countries it has

STEPS
TOWARD UNITY.

A British journalist discusses
developments in the working-class
movements of France and Italy .

become. increasingly evident,
not just to a few politicians or
political commentators, but to
the vast mass of ordinary peo-
ple, that any progress against
the powers of reaction and
monopoly capital, is only pos-
sible if unity of the progressive

forces exists, including the
Communist Party. :
The answer, hitherto, of

many Socialist leaders in these
countries, has been that the
Communist Party was too big
to unite with, because the So-
cialists were in danger of being
swamped. An interesting” con-
trast, incidentally with the ar-
gument of Socialist leaders
where the Communist Party is
small, where they say it is too
small to unite with.
@

Of course the French and
Italian Communist parties have
been the victims of the foul and
unprincipled proaganda cam-
paigns that are the common
change of those who fear work-
ing-class unity like the devil
fears holy water.

In Italy all the power of the

Vatican has been thrown into
the campaign, in France all the
personal prestige of General de
Gaulle, in both, all the power

which big business can com-.

mand. ,

Yet despite everything, in-
cluding cooking of the electoral
books as in France, at every
election, national and munici-
pal, the Communist vote has
gone up and with it the popular

=

Lee

pressure for unity of the work-
ing-class and progressive forces.

In Italy, the late general sec-

retary of the Italian Communist
Party, Palmiro Togliatti, cam-
paigned tirelessly for unity of
the working-class movement,
and warned that no true “open-
ing to the Left” was possible
which excluded the Commu-
nists.

The Socialist leader, Signor
Nenni, thought otherwise, broke
the agreement he had with the
Communists .and joined in a
Christian Democratic govern-
ment.

The Social Democrat lead-
er, Signor Saragat, was so
strongly opposed to having any-
thing to do with*the Commu-
nists that he broke with Signor
Nenni in 1947 when the latter
first. concluded an agreement
with the Communists.

But after the increase of a
million votes in the general elec-
tions of 1963, the Italian Com-
munists further increased their
Strength in the municipal elec-
tions last November to 26 per-
cent of the total poll,

- In numerous towns and _ vil-
lages all over Italy,
know from their own personal
experience what benefits a Com-
munist municipality can bring,
and what benefits a joint Com-
munist - Socialist municipality
can bring.
@

And when the battle for the

presidency was joined last
month it became evident that no
non-Christian Democrat candi-
date could be elected without
Communist support. It took 13
days and 21 ballots for this les-
son to be learned.

.

But the battle against reac-
tion was won the moment Sig-
nor Saragat appealed for _sup-

-port from “all the democratic

and anti-fascist groups,” there-
by abandoning his previous re-

fusal to accept Communist
votes.

After the election, the gene-
ral secretary of the Italian Com-
munist Party, Luigi Longo, de-
clared: “From the beginning,

we declared that our democra-

tic left wing would require the
vote of other democrats, both
Catholic and non-Catholic, in

order to arrive at the desired
election.

“We maintained constant con-
tacts with these forces, bearing
in mind all the while that after
this election a new climate

would be necessary for the
country,

.

“In our greeting to President
Saragat, together with the me-
mory of our common struggle

people:

In both Italy and France, workers of varied political atta
ments have often united for action in defense of peace or of i
economic interests. Now there are strong pressures growing for p”
tical unity as well. Our top photo shows a demonstration in fro
the South African embassy in Rome protesting against aparthel
which Communists, Socialists and others took part. Bottom: a P
demonstration in the French town of Ussel.

against fascism’ there is also
now our hope that the Italian
working class will advance with
justice and progress.”

- The presidential elections de-
monstrated to the entire Italian
people that no democratic solu-
tion of the nation’s problems is
possible without the Commu-
nist Party. :

Of course the future develop-

ment of the drive for working- -

class unity will have its difficul-
ties, but it has now been. de-
monstrated for all to see that
such left-wing unity is possible
as well as necessary,

In France, the Left has a simi-
lar problem. On March 14 there
are municipal elections under a
new law which would mean de-
feat for the Socialists and Com-
munists unless they agree to
present a united list,

Next December at the latest
there will be the presidential
elections. The only possibility
to defeat de Gaulle is again So-
cialist - Communist agreement
on a common program and a
candidate who would enjoy not
only the support of Communists
and Socialists but of-all those
who are opposed to General de
Gaulle’s regime.

@

The announcement: of the
agreement signed by the Com-
munist and Socialist organiza-
tions in the Paris region for
joint lists of “democratic union”
in the coming municipal elec-
tions is therefore of the greatest
Significance,

It covers a population of

_about six million and 13 percent

of the total French electorate, it
will ensure the return of pro-
gressive majorities in at least 26
of the 39 suburbs of Paris.

Unfortunately this is not a
national agreement, but there is

a.
February 5, 1965—PACIFIC TRIBUNE—P

no doubt that the example —
united action by Socialists”
Communists in the Paris
will have an effect on 0
areas of the country.

The big question still is
ther the Socialist leader:
consent to an agreement
the Communists which W
enable de Gaulle to be bé
in December.

The Socialist presidenti
didate, M. Defferre, is §
mayor of Marseilles, second
gest city of France, but hé
came mayor thanks only 1
unprincipled pact with the ¥
lists at the last municipal ©
tions.

Ordinary people are nat
asking how M. Defferre cat
time accept Gaullist sup
when he is standing again®
Gaulle for president.

Mr. Defferre has so fat
fused even to talk with
Communists about a CO
electoral program for the
dential elections and still 1)
come to an agreement simil®
that concluded in Paris fof
municipal elections.

1

Yet it is as plain as 4!
staff that only such an
ment can ensure the defea
the Gaullists and a progreiy
majority in the municip
as well as a progressive
dent in the Elysee Palace.

Of course the profes
anti-Communists among t
cialist leaders as well 4
right wing are claiming © 4
M. Defferre accepts Comm
support he will lose. But ©)
is no doubt that he cann?
without such support.

Perhaps even M. Deffert
have to learn the lesson
Signor Saragat had to lea
Italy.