Evening star., 1942-11-10

tnere Wll1aDrlng ABOUT a CeSSatlOH Oh
the scattered resistance which is
tragic between soldiers who have
the same enemy"
(The relationship of Gen.
Giraud and Gen. Charles de
Gaulle, head Of the Fighting
French movement. was not
brought out, but Fighting French
men In London said they well
coined him as one of them.
Gen. Giraud has long been re-
garded as one of the most able
of Frances military leaders and
is an authority on North African
affairs. At the time he escaped
from German custody last April,
Gen. de Gaulle attested to Gen.
Giraud's standing by declaring he
would be sWilling to serve under
him. Germany paid an indirect
tribute also by offering a reward
of 100000 marks (about $40,000)
for his recapture. 1t never was
collected
= (The white -'mustached hero
was captured in the battle Of
the bulge in Northern France in
1910 and interned at Koenigstein
fortress, near Dresden. He es-
capped down the fortress wall
after weeks of patiently weaving
a 65-foot. rope from strands Of
thread mailed him in every pack
age from; his wife,
Gen. Eisenhower's communique
said he had agreed to support Gen
Giraud in the North African the
ater and IFS happy to welcome this
distinguished French soldier as an
ally In the common cause"
He and I understand each other
perfectly" the American said.
The commander in chief relaxed
leaning back in his chair and with
glasses in hand, for the press con-
ference. 49,,
He said a new American trench
mortar had reduced fort at Orar
after its garrison decided to resist
and he praised the weapon as ar
outstanding contribution to warfare
"A combat team brought up the
mortars and gave the fort a pastine
which would not have been possible
with the mortars of the last war,
he said, land it surrendered almost
at once, but not before there hac
been Is enlisted and one office,
casualties.
The prisoners apparently wanted
to be captured and fight with thu
Allies, but they resented the casual.
ties. We don't want to shoot {
friend, but we cannot let then
shoot us and not shoot back. Wal
is a serious business and people re
hurt"
British Naval Work Praised.
The highest praise went to tn,
British and American navies oper
ating under British Admiral Sil
Andrew Cunningham in the deliver,
of troops and supplies. The genera
said the naval work was mar.
velous"
THE way the naval staff planned
the giant timing was nothing shor
of wonderful" he said.
Men and. materiel were reported
delivered with railroad schedul,
exactness, despite the fact that tn.
size of the conveys gave the nava
commanders problems never before
encountered.
Although he had only cat maps fol
two days, Gen. Eisenhower jokee
with the four correspondents anc
staff officers present and appeared
to be in the best of spirits.
An American blitzkrieg OF unpre.
cedented speed appeared imminen
in North, Africa. e ~n.o~
Mr.. Gallagher's dispatch made NJ
further reference to a blitzkrieg-
lightning warfare-but it appeared
that he might have been given tt
understand that the American Arm.
is preparing for swift push acros
Tunisia into Libya to meet tn,
routed fragments of Marshal Erwin
Rommel's African Corps. ...4
A Reuters correspondent at tn,
North African headquarters sait
there is feeling the whole cam
paign may end with complete ant
early victory. although any ten
dency to what might prove to b.
overoptimisn is met with ohlcia
caution"