As for the other fronts that fought against the party these were sectarian forces that were fighting for their existence. For them this was a life or death fight. The party had to fight a gruesome war against these forces. This was a war that was to be fought on the internal and external fronts.
Those who fought the party stated that it was fighting a bloc that was the agent of Nazism and Fascism. The French colonizers tried hard to label the party as such. However, as was mentioned before, even the French judges who judged Saadeh could not pronounce such an agency, even though they imprisoned and tortured him in accordance with the directives of their superiors. This created a problem in the minds of many citizens who started to believe that the party was organized by Italian and German design. Perhaps this was due to the extreme organization of the party, and the way with which its members saluted leaders (by raising their arms high), which was contrary to the regular Lebanese, or Ottoman customary salutation. This added to the rumors that construed the party as Nazist or Facist.
The party, however, continued its work without hesitation. The leader did not have the time to answer wrong-Sayers. He devoted his work and life to build his party and to attract the intellectual, literary, and even political circles, many of whose members had faith in Saadeh and soon swore allegiance to him and the party. The road these people chose was a long and tiring one. Only a select few could tolerate the difficulties. That's why some of the timid politicians and intellectuals who joined the party could not continue in its difficult path. They fell one after the other only to return to their previous situations that provided them with a place within the body politic of the state. None of these however could other a word of criticism to the party. Most of them remained silent and preferred their lucrative positions.
The party was strong at the time through its leader, who embodied all his party's principals within himself. He was not upset or bothered that some of the newcomers were leaving, because he was sure of himself and his principles, which constituted the ideology of his party.
Saadeh was very stringent on his principles and the ideology of his party. He would not negotiate on these principles. That is why he would not accept to even a minute change from those principles. This was his credo from which he would not bulge even if Naameh Tabit-the man who had earned his confidence-himself asked for such a ideological change (Tabit was at the time being considered for the vice-presidency of the party together with Adil Usayran and Salah Labaki). It was thus that Saadeh did not hesitate to oust Tabit from the ranks of the party when he sensed that the latter was diverting from the principles set forth. It is noteworthy to mention the story behind the ousting of Naameh Tabit from the party. By so doing Saadeh showed that his principles and the party ideology were above any human consideration. It was in 1947 when the leader was on his way from Cairo after a long deportation that Naameh Tabit and Asad al Ashqar went to visit him. He met them at the Shepard Hotel where they talked with him about the political situation in Lebanon. Tabit suggested to Saadeh to have the party work on a strictly Lebanese base and to not antagonize the rulers upon his return to the homeland. Saadeh did not speak about the issue, since he felt that it was not an honest suggestion and had hidden agendas written all around it. . Moreover, he was sure That Naameh Tabit and Asad al Ashqar were acting on the initiatives of some politicians who wanted the SSNP to become a totally Lebanese party and shed aside its Pan-Syrian aspirations. Tabit thought that Saadeh had finally accepted his point of view. However, as soon as Saadeh reached Lebanon he gave his famous and historical lecture where he underlined his attachment to the principles of the party and his adamant stance in not redrawing its political path. This was a strong hit for Tabit and those who stood behind him. The Lebanese government released a subpoena for Saadeh's apprehension, while the latter moved to Duhur al Shuwayr and declared open rebellion against the government, the army, and the police. The government was forced to redraw its subpoena. Tabit continued to claim that the party's principles and ideology had to be reformulated, while his cohort, al Ashqar rejoined Saadeh. It was in this manner the al Ashqar remained while Tabit and another cohort, Ma'mun Elias, were ousted from the party only to form the Lebanese Democratic Republican Party.
