Evening star., 1942-05-03
Free French Status

Free French Stotus
Realistic appraisal of United
States and British policy in not ex
tending formal recognition to the
Free French movement requires con-
sideration of numerous complex
factors which, once clearly under
stood, appear to leave little ground
for criticizing the closely parallel
courses followed by Washington and
London.
In the first place, one must COM
prehend the fine diplomatic ShadingS
of meaning of the word recognition.
AS a matter of fact, we do recognize
the French National Committee
headed by General Charles de Gaulle
as representative of French military
resistance to the Axis wherever it
exists, we give it lease-lend aid, and
we deal directly with De Gaulle's
representatives. on matters pertain
ing to territories where they are in
effective CONTROL" such as in the
French Pacific islands and in French
Equatorial Africa and the Gamer
oons. But to extend formal diplo-
matte recognition to the Free French,
to exchange accredited diplomatic
representatives with De Gaulle,
would involve recognizing De Gaulle
as the head of a sovereign state.
Neither this Government nor the
British is prepared, for the time be-
ing at least, to do that.
The official attitude here. and ap-
parently in London as we'll, is that
it remains for the French people
themselves, when they have a free
choice, to select their future govern
ment. And there is no agreement
now, even among ardent Free
Frenchmen, on De Gaulle as a po-
litical leader
De Gaulle's name has become a
symbol Of continued French resist
ance to the Axis. His French Ma
tional Committee in London has rail-
lied support among freedom loving
Frenchmen everywhere as an Or
ganization Of military-not political
Leadership. There is a widespread
feeling among the fighting forces
adhering to De Gaulle's banner that
the sole function Of the French Ma
oil tc - G~I 60,
French freedom and leave politics
alone until victory is won. 1t fol-
lows that any move by the United
States and Britain implying recog-
milton of De Gaulle as the future
political leader of France would not
be welcomed by at least large seq
ment Of his own present adherents.
In view Of this situation, the as
sumption OF an outright political
character by the committee as a
permanent French government, in
contrast to its original purpose of
providing provisional leadership for
continued military resistance to the
fAAloy WOQlo lIldhC
rather than facilitate Free French
American cooperation. This CO.
operation exists now and, so far as
this Government is concerned, will
continue purely on the basis of a
common purpose In winning the war
Actually, the question of recogni-
ton of the De GauIle Committee as
a national government of France
never has been raised formally be-
fore this Government. The most the
Free French delegation here has
asked is frank clarification of it's
position.
1t should be emphasized that the
course followed so far by both the
United States and British govern
ments in their relations with the
Free French leaders does not close
the door to any type of action that
might become desirable in the future.
The status of the French National
Committee apparently will be de-
termined largely by its own actions
and the wishes of Frenchmen free to
express themselves, so far as Wash
ington and London are concerned.