Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-01-03
De GauIIe Reveals
His Invitation for
Talks With Giraud
Implies Disappointment
Over Not Receiving
Answer in Week
BY the Associated Press.

| $3.50 W - - w wv
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, Jan. I'm a blunt
statement, Gen. Charles de
Gaulle, Fighting French leader,
today disclosed that he had sug-
gested to Gen. Henri Honore
Giraud. on Christmas Day, that
they meet Immediately" to unity
the French war effort and by i'm
plication made it clear he was
disappointed that this invita-
ton had not been answered more
than a week later.
Fighting French spokesman refuse
to amplify the generals statement
in which he made public the invita-
ton to Gen. Giraud, high commits
sioner. holding that 1t was plain
enough.
However, informed observers said
it seemed certain that the De Gaul-
lists were baff1ed by the Giraud
silence, particularly in view of the
latter's repeated assertions OF his
desire for unity.
"a spokesman for Gen. Giraud
in Algiers said his French African
regime desires Ito come to an
agreement with all Frenchmen
who are fighting against Ger
many.")
There have been reports that Gen.
De Gaulle would 60 to Africa soon
to see Gen Giraud, before the Fight
ing French leader crosses the At
lantic to confer with President
Roosevelt, but there still was MOTH
ing said here of a reply from Gen.
Giraud.
Relay In U. s. Indicated.
1t was not disclosed how Gen. De
Gaulles suggestion was dispatched,
but 1t Is believed to have been re-
layed through American military
authorities. II this was the case it
may have been cleared through
Washington and not received by
Gen, Giraud for a day or two.
Gen. De Gaulle suggested the
meeting in an effort to fuse all
anti-Axis Frenchmen under a tenn
porary government founded on the
laws OF the Third Republic that
Vichy killed
A fighting French spokesman pre-
viously had admitted that negoti-
ations for unification were under
way, but said. Don't expect an easy
or rapid solution" The main OBJ
stacle in new negotiations, this
spokesman said, were the hold
overs from the Vichy regime serving
under Gen. Giraud. They must be
eliminated he added.
Text of Statement.
The text of the Gen. de Gaulles
statement follows:
Internal confusion is steadily in
creaslng in French North and West
Africa. The reason for this con-
fusion is that French authority has
no basic point following the collapse
OF Vichy, since the great force of
national fervor, conference and ex-
perience which constitutes Fighting
France and which has already re-
turned to war, and to the republic
a large part Of the empire, is not
officially represented in these French
territories.
The results Of this confusion are,
firstly, situation which is and will
be embarrassing for the operation of
the Allied armies.
Secondly is the fact that France
at this decisive moment is deprived
of that powerful trump card which
would be represented by union for
the pursuit of the war by her vast
empire in liaison with the move
ment Of resistance in France itself.
"Finally-and perhaps most i'm
portant of all-is the amazement of
the French people, staggered in
their misery by the strange fate of
that part of the empire most re-
Gently liberated.
Favors Central Power.
THE remedy for this situation is
the establishment in French North
and West Africa, as in all other
French territories overseas, of
temporary and enlarged central
power founded on national union,
inspired by the spirit of war and of
liberation. with laws which are the
laws of the republic, to last until
such time as the nation has made
known her will.
Such is the tradition OF French
democracy.
1T was thus that in 1870, after
the fall of the empire, men of
national defense Professionally took
power in the name of the republic
in order to direct the war effort of
the nation.
ON December Is. 1912, in full