Evening star., 1943-07-09
Giiruud
Continued From First Paeel

assert only that he supposed 95 per
cent of France was under the heel
of the Germans in France.
As for his talks here with Gen,
GTaud. the Chief Executive said he
and the general had talked at lunch
Yesterday about various military
problems. He offered no elabora-
ton.
In talking with reporters, Gen.
Giraud avoided all political discus
sion and the War Department rs
sued a notice to correspondents di-
recting them to ask only questions
relatin to military matters.
The General only once mentioned
Gen de Gaulle. considered his rival
for French leadership, when ne said:
"As presidents of the French
Committee of National Liberation,
Gen. De Gaulle and l have estab-
lished as our soul aim the defeat OF
the Axis forces, the liberation OF
France, the return to political
structure in conformity with the
national aspirations of our country
Speaks in French.
Gen. Giraud, dressed in cream
colored linen uniform, spoke in
French, which was translated by an
officer.
He first read a prepared state
ment, then spoke passionately OF
impressions gathered on visit he
made this morning to Mount Yer
non, the Tomb Of the Unknown Sol
dier and the Lincoln Memorial.
In looking at the tomb of the
Unknown Soldier, he said he re-
membered that in the recent Tunl-
sian campaign Your soldiers were
well armed, but mine were without
adequate weapons. They fought
with wooden sabers and straw guns,
as we say in France.
Il remembered the $500 crosses
on the hills of Tunisia where rest
the French who gave their lives in
recent battle.
France had $4,000 casualties in
Tunisia. This is the proof OF French
valor. This army had the will to
fight, has the will to fight, even with
inadequate weapons"
Il have seen your soldiers under
fire. AS a soldier I observed them.
l do not wish to f1atter you, but l
can tell YOU that their gallantry de-
serves all admiration. They are the
worthy successors of their elders
of 1918"
Reminded of Lafayette.
At Mount Vernon, he said. he
found "reminiscences of Lafayette,
commenting:
TT occurred to me that in some
odd ways history sometimes repeats
itself"-obviously thinking of the
part America can play in bringing
France her independence.
In commenting on his visit to the
Lincoln Memorial, Gen. Giraud
limited at the conflict that today
disturbs the relations of Frenchmen
outside France. He said:
In looking at the Lincoln) me-
1icIinls L lClo lillCitSCly WllhG ilC dlO
in overcoming the turmoil of his
difficult years. l was moved as a
Frenchman at finding myself in
communication with the highest
ideals of Americans"
The morale of the French Army
Of tomorrow. the general said. will
be "as good as it was Yesterday"
when, in his estimation, it was very
good. BY yesterday" he meant the
Tunisian campaign
He said he fixed on the number
100000 as the size of the French
expediGionary force to be equipped
because that was the number for
which he could supply an adequate
technical personnel. This army, he
said, is to be composed of $4,000
Frenchmen and Europeans, $4,000
Senegalese, $4,000 Moroccans and
$4,000 Algerians and Tunisians.
In reply to a question, Gen. Giraud
said the 10000 men would include
the forces of Gen. de Gaulle.
He said his forces used some cap
tured German artillery and anti
tank guns in the Tunisian cam
paign. but the Germans destroyed
most of the equipment.