Christian Democrats In All Europe Are Taking Cabinet Rank

People and Freedom Combine in Catholicism
Christian Democrats are taking Cabinet office in new Governments all over Europe. In France, M. George Bidault is Foreign Secretary; the same position is held in Italy by Signor de Gasperi; in London, M. Stanislaw Sopicki and Dr. Kusnierz are Ministers of Reconstruction and Justice in the Polish Government; this week from Vienna comes news of three more, Rudolf Rabb, Leopold Kunschak, and Eduard Heinl accepting portfolios in the new Austrian Government. Christian Democrat, and famous Thomist, M. Jacques Maritain is now representing France as Ambassador to the Vatican.
As the Christian Democratic movement makes such heartening headway over all Europe, the following extracts from the report to the annual general meeting of the People and Freedom Group in London make interesting reading The cause of Christian Democracy has been immensely strengthened by the Pope's Christmas Broadcast, which may be considered, as epoch-making on the political plane as Rerum Nowirum on the social plane. No longer can Catholic democrats be charged with being outside " the Main tradition of Catholic thinking."
Through its network of contacts abroad, the position of the group has been greatly strengthened in its intetnutional aspect.
FOREIGN CONTACTS
Cordial messages to the Group were received from Signor di Rodin°, Chairman of the Italian Christian Democratic Party, and from both Alcide de Gasperi and Georges Bidault, in reply to congratulations on their taking office. as Foreign Secretary. , The fact that " People and Freedom," has become known as a source of specialised knowledge on [tidy, has led to various requests for information.
The resolution of greeting to the Christian Democrats of Italy, passed at the annual general meeting of 1944, was repeatedly broadcast on the Italian Service of the B.B.C. the following day. At the request of the Voice of America," in August, the Editor of People and Freedom made a :special broadeest to the Partisans of Northern Italy.
This month an interview with People and Freedom has been requested in the 13.B,C. French news serviee.
Various of our corresponding memhers have been called to eminent offices on which we renew our congratulations: Georges Bidatilt, French Foreign Secretary; Jacques Maritain, French Ambassador to the Vatican ; Dr. Sopicki and Dr. Kusnierz, Ministers for Reconstruction and for Justice in the Polish Government.
OVERSEAS
In October a branch of the Group was founded by members of the M.E.F. in Cairo, with Serge W. Clifford. R.A.F.. as chairman, the Rev. W. Perring, C.F., hon. treasurer, and LAC. Clifford, R,A.F,, as hon. secretary.
, In the U.S.A. the " People arid Freedom " Groups of New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, and the " People and Liberty " Group of Americans of Italian Descent, have consolidated themselves and made substantial progress. The New York Group now issues its own "People and Freedom Bulletin," and " People and Liberty," an organ of the same name. We renew to all our congratulations and good wishes.