Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-11-24
De GauI|e in London
Seeking 10 Bolster
Free French Move
Developments Having
Profound Effect on
Wurs Course Seen
By HELEN KIRKPATRICK,


BY HELEN KIRKPATRICK,
Chicago Daily News Foreign Correspondent.
LONDON, Nov. 23.-Gen. Charles
de Gaulles arrival here today may
be the beginning of a greatly
strengthened Free French move
ment. Signs Of growing resistance
to the Germans, in France, have
now increased to such point. that
1t seems safe to predict interesting
and important developments which
may have a profound effect on the
course of the war.
Gen. Maxine Weygand, who was
sent to North Africa to check what
Vichy regarded as dangerous signs
of unrest, has not seen fit to re-
turn to Vichy, although on more
than one occasion he has been
summoned back. And what was at
first only suspected to be disagree
ment between Gen. Weygand and
Marshal Petain's foreign minister,
Pierre Laval, is now known to have
become an open breach.
At the time of Frances collapse,
Gen. Weygand's outlook on the sit
uation was entirely that of a mill
tary leader. Confronted with
government which was divided on
the question of seeking an armis-
tice, Marshal Foch's former right
hand man in the World War said
that, as commander in chief of the
French Armies, he could not see
any alternative. The line was
broken, the men in rout and there
was no possibility to establish a
new line or find fresh men. There
is no evidence to support the view
generally held at that time that
Gen. Weygand shared the Laval
Petain opinion of Frances moral
decadence.
Supported Vichy at First.
After the armistice, however, Gen.
Weygand supported the Vichy gov
eminent until it was suggested that
France hand over colonial terri
} tory. Gen. Weygand is believed to
be adamant against giving up an
inch of French colonial or metro
politan African territory no matter
to whom-Italians, Germans, or
British.
If the development of events is
such that Gen. Weygand feels COM
PEELED to take stand against Vichy,
the whole question of Gen. De
Gaulle's leadership of the Free
French movement would probably
have to be reviewed. As an older
man, now more associated with poll
tics than Gen. De Gaulle, it may be
presumed that Gen. Weygand C. lid
form French government on met
ropolitan soil, which North Africa is.
In this case, Gen. De Gaulle would
probably become a purely military
commander of the Free French
forces. Otherwise the point has now
been reached when some political
organization is necessary, unless
Gen. De. Gaulle is to rule the re-
Gently acquired territories in Africa
bv martial law. If Gen. Weygand
went over to the Free French move
ment the entire allied position in
Africa and the Near East would be
most favorably affected and the stu
alton in Syria would become less
uncertain than it is now.
Did Not Want to Irk Arabs.
1t seemed puzzling that the British
did not take drastic action in Syria,
which is strategically important in
the Mediterranean war. The prin-
cipal reason is that the British desire
not to ALLEVIATE the Arab population
and give Pan-Arab leaders the i'm
preston that they might gain more
by joining the axis. 1t also would
create a delicate situation vis-a-vis
Turkey. In Syria Gen. Weygand
could take steps from which Gen. De
Gaulle is debarred.
Proof that there is growing anti
German feeling in France is, accord
ing to the London Daily Mail this
morning. to be had in the attitude
of French seamen on two ships sent
by the vichy government to repatri-
ate Frenchmen in Britain. When
the ships arrived more than half
their crews walked off, declaring
that they wished to remain here
with Gen. De Gaulle.
In reply to those Frenchmen who
wished to return to France the
sailors declared: "If you still want
to 90 back and live under a Boche
you're welcome, but you do so with
out our help"
The ships arrived without life
boats or fuel for the return journey
and the British refused to give them
more than enough fuel to proceed to
Fire
Copyrieht 1910, by Chicago Daily News Inc.