Foreign News: The Revolving Door

France, keystone of Western Europe's defense, is giving the democratic world a shocking exhibition of political irresponsibility. Six weeks after the general election, France is still without a government. The center parties, which united during the campaign to defeat the Gaullists and Communists (TIME, June 25), are hopelessly divided.

Potential middle-of-the-road Premiers, trying to put together a cabinet, whizzed in & out of France's political revolving door:

¶ Henri Queuille (Radical), 67, outgoing Premier, first to be asked by President Auriol to form a new government, refused, pleading ill health. ¶ Maurice Petsche (Independent), 55, able Minister of Finance in the retiring...

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