The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1943-01-01
: Clapper
Nay d Complications
N French Siiusfion
Question of Who
Governs After War
One Way Is 70 Back
Gen. De GsulIe
Delicate businsss
Al HE Best

WA8MINGroN-some caution
may b. encountered here with
regard to suggestions appearing
In dispatches from London that
General De csuiie be placed In
charge of . French government
10 be set up In Algiers.
Evidently the plan n regarded
with favor In London. because II
Wa outlined In dispatches follow
ing = meeting between Prime
Minister Churchill and General
DE- Gaulle.
At first glance the idea 10 APP
pealing. II 10 appealing on ideo-
logical grounds. General De
Gaulle 10 = fighting Frsnchmsn
who struck out from the very
first against the Axis. lie never
surrendered and never coilsbo-
rated. The British government
took him up and backed him as
the rallyine standard for the
French people.
With Admiral Dsrlsn out Of
the way. II 10 suggested that the
time has come when Frenchmen
can he united under General De
Gaulle as head of . French gov
eminent with its temporary seat
81 AlEiers. pending the time when
victory would enable II to move
back into Metropolitan France.
Meantime this DE Gaulle govern
ment would have control over all
French colonies that are not In
Axis hands. ISesumably the
proposed French government, by
bang recognized a. the lsgiti-
mate government Of France,
would take title to the vast
amount Of frozen French assets
held In the United States and
elsewhere.
To create a French govern
ment now and set 1t up In bust
ness in Algiers would impose a
kind Of unity on French colonial
affairs. and In that sense In a
desirable move.
ON the other hand. u has To be
considered that II French ma
tional government were set up
now In Africa. II would move
inta France when the Germans
were driven out. II would be-
come the government of France.
Those constituting the propos-
ed De Gsulie government would
have acquired 4 vested interest
In this government and would
have consolidated themselves by
virtue Of being recognised by the
United Nations and by having
title TO the assets Of the French
empire. They would move into
France In IN entrenchsd position.
The American position this far
has bsen that any arrangements
shouid be temporary. tfAt the
people Of France should have OPP
portunity Of the end Of the war
to choose their own government,
and not he handed . government
that had been set up BY he
Allies. The question Is whether
the people of France would be
ready to accept such . govern
ment set up in Africa and trans
fsrrsd over altar the Germans
had been driven out. About that
opinions differ. There are those
who doubt that such govern
ment would be acceptable.
That's about the line N diff
ference that 10 developing as be-
tween those who would set up q
French government now under
De- Gauile and those whs would
defer formation Of 4 French gov
eminent until the end Of the war,
continuing the present arrange
msnt In Africa Of military con-
troll working through existing To-
cal governments on the spot.
We may have q considerable
little idsoiogicai var over the
matter. De Gaulle and the Fight
ing French appeal to those who
disiiked the deal with Darlan. and
British opinion is heavily on that
side. There ia little appeal In the
present arrangement of military
control operating through Zeal
governments which have been
Pro-Axis- 1t 10 more appealing
10 deal with fortnight. courage
Gus people like De Gsulle. who
has never done anything to help
the Axis. than II Ia to deal with
People you have Tn buy.
Ny own instincts all 70 with
the De Gauiie people. and my
bunch In that the weary. beaten
peopis innide France viii he ready
to welcome the leadership of
such . courageous man whose
flame Of French patriotism never
blsv out during the storm.
Yet there Is lot don't know
about it. Some people whose
knowlsdge and judgment ] re-
gpect feel that the Allies ought
TO be very hssitant about setting
up . government for any occu-
pied people st this time. and that
we ought to make II q cardinal
principle that liberated peoples
shall have the chance To choose
and sst up their own government.
IT In All delicate business per-