Evening star., 1942-11-24
French West Indies Pact

frenCh west Indies P0ct
The agreement just signed between
our State Department, through its
representative, Samuel Reber, and
Admiral Georges Robert, high COM
missioner for the French possessions
IN the Western Hemisphere, is a VIC
tory for American diplomacy that
contains more than local or even
hemisphere significance.
This arises, not so much from the
text itself as from it's broader impli-
cations. The actual terms are little
more than a continuation OF pre-
ceeding arrangements entered into
during the past two and one-half
years since the French colonies in
the New World became a problem
IN consequence of Frances with
drawal from the war under the
terms OF an armistice which placed
the home government under Axis
control.
Although the United States was
then not yet belligerent, our Gov
ernment had already approached
Latin American republics to forestall
Axis aggression in the Western Hemi-
sphere. Pan-American interests OBJ
viously required the exclusion of Axis
influence from the French colonies
on this side of the Atlantic, notably
the islands of Martinique and Qua
deloupe in the West Indies and
Cayenne or French Guiana on the
South American mainland Those
colonies were under the authority Of
Admiral Robert, who proclaimed his
loyalty to the newly established
Vichy regime headed by Marshal
Petain and clearly under indirect
Axis domination.
There ensued a prolonged series of
negotiations which, when the diplo-
matte history of the war Is written,
undoubtedly will reflect notable
credit on the forebearance and in
sight OF our Department OF State.
American diplomacy was determined
to prevent the French West Indies
from being used as Axis bases and
also sought to immobilize the
French naval squadron in those
waters. As last extremity, our
Government was prepared to occupy
the French colonies by force, but
desired to avoid such regrettable
measures. Fortunately Washington
possessed the bloodless weapon of
economic pressure The French West
Indies are not self-supporting, and
were desperately in need OF food
stuffs, oil and medical supplies,
which, under existing circumstances,
could be furnished only from the
United States. Accordingly, an agree
ment was entered into whereby the
French colonies were practically
neutralized, under American super
vision
That arrangement, made in the
f1rst instance with Admiral Robert
and ratified by Vichy, suficed, with
certain notifications, down to the
recent diplomatic break with Vichy
after our intervention in North
Africa. Since Admiral Robert had
consistently maintained his formal
allegiance to the Vichy government
a new problem obviously arose. The
United States was now full-nedged
belligerent against the Axis, and the
Vichy regime under Pierre Laval
was clearly veering completely to the
Axis side. More than ever was it
necessary that the French West
Indies either be effectively neutral
lied or placed under direct American
occupation.
That latter alternative again has
been avoided by the negotiations be-
tween Mr.. Reber and Admiral Robert.
now happily concluded at the colo
nial headquarters on Martinique.
The most important aspect Of the
new agreement Is that Admiral
Robert has acted as an independent
authority, thus impliedly breaking
with Vichy and functioning on his
own. Indeed, the indications are
that he henceforth will cooperate
amicably with the United States
and the majority Of the Latin Amer
lean nations in the established pro-
gram of Pan-American solidarity.
Thus, what might have been a
thorny problem with unfortunate
complications has been solved con-
structively and amicably.