Evening star., 1943-02-06

Council as 5equeI 10
CasabIanca ParIeys
Door Believed Opened
To Expedite Agreement
With De GoulIe
By the Associated Press.
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
NORTH AFRICA. Feb. s. The
French Imperial Council" set up by
the late Admiral Jean Darlan was
replaced today by War Committee
designated by Gen. Henri Oiraud In
a move believed to be direct result
Of his conferences with President
Roosevelt and Prime Minister
Churchill at Casablanca.
The new committee was regarded
as less strongly political in character
than it's predecessor and its crea-
tion apparently opened the door for
further developments in the ''haison
agreement" reached at Casablanca
by Gen. Giraud and Gen. Charles de
Gaulle. Fighting French leader.
The members of the War Com
mittee include Gen. Graud as COM
tv@ hi ~
civil affairs, Jean Bergeret. who is
given the new title Of secretary gen.
eral to the commander; Gen. Au-
guste Nogues. governor general Of
French Morocco: Pierre Boisson.
governor general of West Africa. and
Marcel Peyrouton. new governor
general Of Algeria.
Tone Of Statement Optimistic.
The personnel thus is the same as
in the Imperial Council, but 1t was
announced that the committee
might be augmented by any per-
sonalities the commander in chief
may designate"-a statement gen.
orally taken to mean that posts
would be left open for representa-
tives Of Gen. de Gaulle at some
future date.
The tone of the announcement
created the impression that dih1cul-
ties impeding the Giraud-De Gaulle
naison program had been smoothed
out in London and that 1t would
bear fruit shortly. 1t was believed
that Gen. Georges Catroux, hehtin4
French high commissioner In Syria.
/ would come to Algiers soon to take .
place TN Gen. Giraud's admiuistra-
ton. s.--
The first acts of the committee
were to announce several measures
lessening restrictions on Jews, order
the release Of political internees,
| promise certain labor reforms and
dissolve the SOL" tService Order
| of Legionnaires) "a Fascist-type
section of the French Veterans As
sociation designed to act as . sort
of North African Gestapo.
These reforms also apparently
were q reflection of the Casablanca
conferences.
Need u Unite Stressed.
Creation Of the War Committee
was generally believed to have been
suggested by the Allies to remove
any tendency on the part Of either
Gen. Giraud or Gen. De Gaulle ia
try to return to France after the
war with the stature Of an o1ncial
government"
This view was borne out In long
proclamation by the committee
which quoted the British and Amer
ican view that France alone could
choose its own government.
The proeiamationa also provided
for creation Of "a delegate general
for inter Allied af1airs" reporting
directly to Gen. Giraud. It was ex-
pected that this post would be
filled by a man appointed by Gen.
Giraud to serve as his naison chief
with Gen. De Gaulle In London.
It was understood that . prom
inent general already had been
chosen for this post. but an an
nouncement was not expected for
some time.
The entire tone Of the committee 3
| HlOLLAAlAtAOll WdS NOAN4A0tOAy w
ward Gen. de Gaulle, for after men,
ton in creation Of the delegate gen-
eral post it stressed the need for al
Frenchmen to unite.
1T Is s:le policy OF the commit
tee to unite all those of good viii
and settle political quarrels," the
statement declared. It added that
political peace must be obtained not
only between all Frenchmen but In
ternally In North Africa Ito assure
the security Of soldiers fighting at
the front"
Economic Council Set Up.
The War Committee also created
a High Economic Council COM
posed of five members from each
territory in French North and West
Africa. The members will include
both French and natives ard will
be appointed by the respective gov
ernors-general
This council will set up the eco
nomic union of the territories for
the purpose Of dealing with other
parts Of the French empire and with
the Allies. Each group Of i've also
is charged with developing produc-
ton in its area.
4