Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-29
Giraud's Association
With Dar|an Seen as
Handicap in Africa
De Gou|Ie Foetion Still
Opposing Any Remote
Link to Viehy Regime
BY HELEN LOMBARD.


Gen. Henri Honore Giraud. him
sell, while not anxious to accept the
position of dealing with civil adj
ministration and keeping political
factions in line, has agreed to accept
the office of high commissioner of
North Africa in order to prevent an
upheaval which would certainly him
DER and might jeopardize the mill
tary, campaign.
Inc logical successor to the muir.
dered high commissioner from the
strictly legalistic point of view was
the resident general Of Morocco, g.,
Gen. Auguste Nogues. He was in
1uu control Of the North African
territory when Admiral Jean Fran
co.'s Darlan arrived at Algiers.
He transmitted his authority to
the admiral because he was the heir
OF Marshal Henri Petain and repre-
sented in Gen. Nogues' eyes the
marshal himself. The resident gen.
eral asked for no proof except Ad-
miral Darlans own word that he
was acting with the knowledge and
consent of Marshal Petain
The governor general of the far
of region of Dakar and its vast |
'hinterland. Pierre Boisson, was less
trusting. M. Boisson was afraid |
Admiral Darlan might be acting |
without Marshal Petains authority. |
He made special trip to Algiers to |
confer with the admiral who con-
vinced him he was acting in accord |
with the marshals wishes in COL
laborating with the American forces. |
Darlan Carried Letter.
Admiral Darlan produced a letter |
which he had carried with him from |
France and which was dated in early |
November. In this letter Marshal |
Petain instructed all the military |
and civilian officials in the African
empire to follow Admiral Darlan
The marshal stated that he eX-
pected to be soon the virtual pris-
oner OF the Nazis and that any Or
ders or broadcasts he might make |
after he became prisoner should be |
disregarded since they would be un- |
der dureSs.
This letter convinced the skeptical |
M. Boisson that Admiral Darlan |
was not rebel" but was acting in
accord with the wishes of the mar
shall. M. Boisson agreed immedi-
ately to cooperate with the Allies
and to hand over West Africa to
the United Nations.
Such secrecy surrounded the Pc
tain-Darlan decision to cooperate
that the Vichy naval forces at
Casablanca knew nothing about |
the matter until after Admiral OAR
lan's arrival on the scene. BY that
time the French and Allied forces
had already clashed. This in
creased the bitterness which is still
flaming between De Gaullists and |
the Vichyites.
Gen. Nogues, however, would not |
have been as acceptable to Gen.
Charles De Gaulle as was Gen.
~Giraud, who has never held a posi-
ton under the Vichy government.
Pledge is Recalled.
On the other hand, Gen. Giraud's |
appointment as high commissioner !
NAV not meet with all the approval !
of all the African colonial officials
because he is technically rebel"
Gen. Giraud shortly after his escape
from the Nazi prison went to live |,
near Lyon in unoccupied France.
He wrote letter to Petain In which
he pledged himself not to do any
thing contrary to the marshaPs
wishes. When he escaped from
France to join Gen. Eisenhower
some of the Vichy authorities felt
that he had disregarded his pledge.
The eventual publication of Mar
shall Petain's letter to Admiral
Darlan will do much to make Gen.
Giraud acceptable to all Vichyltes,
since it will prove that both Admiral
Darlan and Gen. Giraud were really
carving out the wishes of the
marshal.
Now, however, this may estrange
come OF the De Gaullists who were
willing to accept Gen. Giraud just
because they thought he was acting
independently of Vichy.
1t is hoped here that each group
may make some concessions and
that Gen. Giraud will be accepted
fully by the De Gaullists because he
was from the beginning the choice of
the American military leaders while
the Vichyites will accept him as the
marshal's indirect choice.
Gen. De Gaulle's ultimate decision
will depend great deal on British
approval The Darlan affair stirred
Great Britain as much as it did the
De Gaullists and certain elements in
this country. If the British put the
full stamp Of approval on Gen.
Giraud, all elements will probably
fall into line and support him.
released By the Bell Syndicate, 1nc)