Stranica 4 [4]
OCR
ís a Ket OF sZ - page four 4 The Communist Party is supported by approximately 5% of the voters. According to the unanimous consent of all observers, it is ‘ losing in quantity, but certainly not in quality of its members, The recent losses of its quantitative support, especially in the labor class, is explained by the high standard of living enjoyed by workers by Belgium, Homes are usually comofrtable, well furnisheds food is plentyfulg many workers have even their gardens and sufficient leisure time opportunities, From prisoners of war and displaced persons, coming to work in Belgium, the word has been given as to living conditions of the proletariate in Russia, This has made deep and unfavorable impression among Begian workers, who now support a } marxist or a left-wing Party, but do not agree with Moscow leadership. Nae oy On the other hand - somewhat in the same way as in France - communism has gained strong and enthusiastic support among certain middle-class ikke elements: half-intellectuals, people with high ambitions but who have not mceceeded, poor students, look towards the Moscow doctrine as a way of achieving a carreer or of changing a social order they hate, These are most fervent, and usually well-trained and wetl-prepared supporters, Wio are able to carry on a dangerous and very clever propaganda. They wotk-especially among other middle-class groups and among the left-wing socialists dissatisfied with their Party. A great deal of such direct propaganda is carried out during daily trips in local trains and through other transport organizations, where contacts are easily established and messages carried on. The General Secretary of the Party is Edgar Lalmand. It is usually felt that, although capable, he is not one of the most influential personalities in the group. The one to be watthed, it " is felt, is a newspaper man, Demany. He was editor of the communist "Drapeau Rouge", recently made his "conversion" to socialism and is now writing the political column of the socialist paper "Le Peuple". There is speculation as to know what the background and meaning of that change represents. As to the collaboration with the socialists, the commnists show a policy of the “open hand", never refusing a chance of offering thé possitilities of a Popular Front. In a recent "open letter! to the General Council of the Socialist Party, Secretary General Laimand has ance more re-iterated his offer of common action to his "dear comrades" of the socialist Party. This reflects a clear Moscow plan for the establishment of large common fronts. Up to now, the socialist Leader Buset has constantly refused these offers, with the exception of locally establishing joined electoral lists, in order to defeat a Christian candidate. Conclusion The forth-coming municipal elections in Belgium have the value of re-discussing the country's political problems and evaluating certain trends. The Christian Social Party thus might lose certain votes in favor of the liberals, the communist certain quantitative forces in favor of the socialists, What is the most revealing however is the present communist tactic: losing the masses, it gains in the middle-classes and workd in establishing a well-trained elite, capable of undermining Larger fwonts of common action and to play the role of a well-prepared fifth column in case of need, y
