'HURRAH' (France)

Shortly after 7 a.m. last Saturday morning, a mushroom-shaped cloud of radio-active dust and poison arose over Reggane, deep in Africa's Sahara desert. French imperialism had exploded its first atomic bomb, accordingly extending the benefits of western civilization to the peoples of Africa.

Demonstrating his strict adherence to high moral standards and Catholic ethics, the deeply religious de Gaulle telegraphed: 'Hurrah for France! She is stronger and prouder this morning.'

Well might the general be proud. Capitalist France now apparently has enough explosive power to commit another Hiroshima in her own right.

The progressives

De Gaulle should, however, spare a grateful thought for his predecessors. First decisions enabling the bomb to be produced were made in 1950 by M. Frederick Joliot-Curie the Stalinist Commissioner for Atomic Energy—a true patriot.

M. Curie was of course well-known in Stalinist peace circles as an 'untiring and devoted worker for peace'. No wonder Picassos' dove looks a little cynical.

Another 'progressive' responsible for the explosion is M. Mendes France. During his term as premier in 1954 he gave the preparatory work much of its impulse.

It would be downright churlish to forget the French social democrats. Gaitskell's political cousin, M. Guy Mollet, took the preparations a very decisive step foward during his premiership in 1956.

According to the Sunday Times, February 14, 'practically every French Government for the past decade has had a hand in this achievement.' A truly national effort.

Although France now obviously feels qualified to join the big international gangsters on equal terms, Washington rather looks down its nose at this 'little' bang.

Chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Atomic Energy, Senator Clinton Anderson says he does not think 'one test constitutes the substantial progress called for under the Act'.

Anderson has a point. After all America, Britain and the Soviet Union are estimated to have killed off nearly 1,540,000 people with their tests over the last 15 years. France will have to be responsible for a lot more bone-cancer and luekemia before she can get into that exclusive club.