Evening star., 1942-04-05
U. 5. Diplomacy Seen
Moving Powerfully
In Africa and India
BruzzuviIIe Consulate
Setup, Johnson's Acts
At New Delhi Cited
BY JOHN c. HENRY.

BY JOHN c. HENRY.
American diplomatic influence,
sharing with this country's produc-
tive and fighting power a pre-
eminent place in the United Ma
tons prosecution of the war. was
applied yesterday on two far-fung
fronts-African and Indian.
To Brazzaville, capital of Free
French rule over Equatorial West
Africa and the Cameroons, this
government assigned a consulate
general thereby extending its
limited recognition to the DeGaullist
French National Committee.
simultaneously, in New Delhi, Col.
Louis A. Johnson. President Roose-
velt's recently appointed Minister
to India, submitted representations
to the Indian authorities and con-
ferred with Sir Stafford Cripps,
British War Cabinet envoy who
is currently seeking a war period
truce between the London govern
ment and Indian political leaders.
Neither development received any
substantial explanatory comment
here but there was no denial of
their significance and of their actual
relationship in the strategy of war
which is being fought in all areas
of the globe.
African Area Strategic.
The extension of Free French
recognition affects most directly an
area that has been taken under full
and effective military control of
the DeGaulle forces and which oc-
cupies a strategic location in the
developing South~Atlantic. African
and Asiatic theaters of war.
Directly across the Atlantic from
Natal, Brazil, this central African
sector provides an important mid
route junction for supply lines into
the Middle East or into India, a
circumstance which was acknow-
ledged by the State Department in
announcing yesterday that estab-
lishment of the consulate general
had been decided on 'in view of the
importance of French Equatorial
Africa in the united war effort"
This government" the announce
ment continued, has treated with
the French authorities in effective
control of French territories in
Africa and will continue to treat
with them on the basis of their
actual administration of the terri
tories involved.
The French territories of Equa-
rooms are under the effective control
of the French National COMMITTEE
established in London and the
United States authorities are CO.
operating on matters relating to
these territories with the author
tiles established by the French
National Committee"
Control is Deciding Factor.
Although this government main
tains formal relations with the Vichy
French government, policy Of rec
ognizing the actual authority con-
trolling French territories was enum-
ciated last month, when the State
Department recognized Free French
control Of New Caledonia, one of the
island outposts east of Australia
and a rich source of nickel.
Recognition of the controlling
authority, the Department said then,
would henceforth be governed by
the manifest effectiveness with
which those authorities endeavor to
protect their territories from domi-
nation and conrtol by the common
enemy"
Immediately afterward, Gen. De
Gaulle, Free French leader, directed
that his forces in New Caledonia
consider themselves under the over
all command of Gen. Douglas Mac
Arthur, commander of all United
Nations forces in the Pacific.
Timing of yesterdays action draws
greater significance, however, from
its closeness to vigorouSly-worded
complaint by Gen. De Gaulle in
London Wednesday that the United
Nations have failed to lend material
encouragement to the sole French
influence which still is exerting it
self against the Axis. 1t is time,
he implied, that the United Nations
made their unqualified choice be-
tween two factions, conflicting In
their claims of representing the
real France.
Consul General Chosen.
For the mission decided on yester-
day, the State Department deslg-
mated MAYNARD Barnes, foreign serv-
ice officer who served in pre-war
Paris and more recently in Iceland,
as consul general at BrazzaVllle'
Because Mr.. Barnes is on leave,
however, Lawrence Taylor was
named to precede him to Africa to
establish the new office.
In the heart of Africa with a sea-
coast on the South Atlantic, French
Equatorial Africa has an area OF
a59 256 square miles and a popula-
tion Q93D of 3,418,066, including
4949 Europeans. Its resources IN
clude wild rubber, copper, lead and
zinc. The Cameroons, obtained by
France from Germany in the World
war. has an area of 166,489 square
miles and a population Q938 OF
2.516,623, including 3,106 Europeans.
Regarding active American in
terest in the Indian situation, the
degree to which this may have been
translated into purpose to intervene
or an indicated willingness to inter-
yene is not known precisely.
These facts are known, however:
President Roosevelt has held Two
lengthy White House conferences IN
the past three weeks with Sir GlrJar
Shankar Bajpai, Agent General for
India here. One of these consulta-
tions came as Sir Stafford Cripps
was about to leave London for
his mission in New Delhi and the
other as the Indian factions re-
iected the initial British proposal
earlier this week.
y~Lnsor,S Stains Raised