FRANCE: To a New Left

The new, British-born swing toward socialism in Europe had spread to France. Last week's cantonal (local) elections proved as much, produced other pointers for the all-important national elections late this month. Significant electoral straws:

¶ France was still going left, but not so far left as many had expected.

¶ The Communists did not lose ground. But they gained surprisingly little; they were definitely in the minority.

¶ The great gainers were old Leon Blum's Socialists, in league with Foreign Minister Georges Bidault's youthful, lusty Mouvement Républicain Populaire (Socialist Christian movement).

Into the...