Evening star., 1943-11-10
Giraud Resigns Post
French Committee
By the Associated Press.


ALGIERS. Nov. 10. - Gen
/ Charles de Gaulle was left in
virtually undisputed control of
the French Committee of Ma
tional Liberation today following
the resignation of Gen. Henri
Giraud as co-president and other
sweeping changes, which drew
Communist censure of hasty
action in the committee's recon-
Struction.
Gen. Girauds withdrawal. which
however, left him in command OF the
French armed forces, came at a
meeting yesterday at which the COM
mittee adopted two DEGREES dropping
FIVE members, adding seven others
and ordaining separation of civil
ian and military powers. An official
announcement said both DEGREES
were signed by all members present,
including Gen. Giraud.
The reshuffle, coincident with re-
opening of the consultative assem-
bly,. gave the committee a complete
ly De Gaullist tinge and left the
Communists unrepresented. One
Communist assemblyman, Andre
Mercier, assailed the De Gaullists
for too much speed in reshaping the
committee, criticizing them for not
waiting until changes could be dis
cusSed lin broad daylight"
Communist Offered Seat.
The committees Information sec
retariat said seat had been Of
fered to the Communist Fernand
Grenier, but that the party had in
sisted it had right to name its own
choice instead of having the offer
extended to an individual by the
committee.
The committee named Gen,
Georges Catroux and Andre Philip
former interior commissioner, as
state ministers" in a move ap-
parently preliminary to relieving
Gen. Catroux of his post as gov
ernor-general of Algeria Gen.
Catroux will remain in charge of
Mussulman affairs.
The committee dropped National
Defense Commissioner Gen. Paul LIE
Gentilhomme, Finance Commits
sioner Maurice Couve de Murville
Education and Public Health Com
missioner Dr. Jules Abadie and Gen.
Alphonse Georges, long time friend
Of Gen. Giraud, as commissioner
without portfolio.
Additions to Committee.
Emmanuel D'Astier de Ia Vigerie
leader of a resistance movement
within France. was named interior
commissioner 10 succeed NJ Philip.
who henceforth will be in charge OF
llaison with the Assembly with the
title of state minister" Henri
Queuille. who as a radical leader
held ministerial posts on % prewar
French governments and who es-
paved to London earlier this year,
will be the third state minister.
Other additions. to the committee
include Louis Jacqulnot. rightist
leader and member of the Demo-
cratic Alliance, who was made navy
minister, new post, and Andrew lie
Trocquer, Socialist leader, who be-
came war and air commissioner
Both are civilians in accordance
with Gen. de Gaulle's long g-standing
demand for civilian control.
The committee also added Mendes
France AS financial commissioner
Pierre Frenay, former Army officer
and resistance leader, as commits
sioner for French nations in German
hands. and Rene Capitant. North
African De GaulliSte leader. as COM
missioner of education.
Socialist to Preside.
The changes completely over
shadoWed the reopening of the AS
sembly which elected Socialist Felix
Gouin, formerly deputy from near
Marseille, as the presiding officer
for six-month term: adopted rules
of procedure and extended two seats
to Alsace Lorraine representatives.
"A Cairo dispatch, meanwhile,
! said Lebanon had def1ed the
French Committee of National
Liberia ton by voting certain con-
( stitutional reforms depsite
| committee warning that it could
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