Evening star., 1943-06-21
French Rift Reported
Continuing After Talk,
On Military Control
Committee Is Believed
To Have FoiIed to Agree
And Deferred Decision
BY the Associated Press.

BY the associated Press.
ALGIERS, June 21.-The
French Committee Of National
Liberation was reported unoff1-
cially today to have failed to
agree in a morning meeting on
the issue of division of military
powers between Gems. Charles de
Gaulle and Henri Giraud.
Thirteen members of the commit
tee met in plenary session for 2
hours and As minutes under the
shadow of the prospect that Gen
de Gaulle might withdraw unless
his own proposals for reorganization
of French military affairs were
adopted.
Unofhcially 1t was stated that the
committee got no further than ar
guing the question of who should
be commander in chief, position
Gen Giraud now holds.
Gen. de Gaulle was reported to
have demanded an immediate vote
on this appointment. The commit
tee was said to have deferred a de-
ciSion until tomorrow.
Civil Changes Approved.
A communique issued after to-
days meeting said simply:
The French Committee of Ma
tional Liberation pursued the study
or reorganization of the armed
forces"
Nevertheless, among the argu-
ments over the military issue, the
committee approved reorganization
of the Tunisian civil administration.
Observers said their first impress
sion when the session broke up was
one of a bitter deadlock, but some
committee members later indicated
the mere fact that Gen. de Gaulle
Gen. Giraud and their adherents
agreed to meet again tomorrow gave
them hope for an eventual compro-
mise.
Political intimates of the Fight
ing French chieftain said he was
prepared to leave Algiers for Beirut
or BrazZaville IN the event his pro-
posals were turned down-a de-
velopment which appeared possible
as Gen. de Gaulle's followers ex-
pressed belief that Gen. Giraud.
with previously unexpected support.
might be able to maintain the status
quo.
Both Gen. Georges Catroux and
Jean Monnet. confidantes of Gen.
de Gaulle, were reported to have
conferred with him at length yes
terday in an attempt to persuade
him against taking any drastic step
which might jeopardize French
efforts at united government.
1t appeared. however, that a
definite showdown between Gen
Giraud and Gen. de Gaulle on the
issue of military authority was in
evitable. Developments up to now
were regarded by some observers
as mere maneuvering by which the
two generals each hoped to win a
vantage point leading to the funda-
mental objective-military control
In principle both factions are re-
ported in agreement on a formula
for division of military authority
with Gen. de Gaulle as commits
sioner of national defense and Gen
Giraud as commander in chief Of
the armed forces.
The De Gaullists. however, appar-
emily are fearful that the plan. If
put into effect under present condi-
tions, would have so many limita
tions that Gen. de Gaulle would be
virtually hamstrung in efforts to
rejuvenate the army by ousting
overage officers and others previous
.ly loyal to Vichy.
Final Agreement Important.
Final agreement between the two
leaders was regarded as particularly
important at this time because de-
pendable sources said the United
States and Britain were prepared to
take the lead in recognizing a tenn
porary French government if Gen
Giraud and Gen. de Gaulle can iron
out their differences.
Gen. de Gaulle's followers main
tain he is the only valid link be-
tween the Third Republic and the
present regime because he is the
only member of the committee who
was in the republics last govern
ment.
Gen. de Gaulle was undersecre-
tary of state for war when Pau
Reynaud's cabinet was displaced by
Marshal Henri Philippi Petain.