Evening star., 1943-04-07
French Unity DeIuyed

French Unity Delayed
The last-minute cancellation Of
General de Gaulle's projected trip
to North Africa is as disappointing
as 1t was unexpected. The general
literally had his bags packed for the
flight when the British Foreign Office
asked him to delay his departure.
This action of the British govern
ment was taken at the request OF
General Eisenhower, American COM
mander in chief OF the Allied forces
in North Africa.
Those are the only salient facts
which have thus far been revealed
in what appears to be a rather mys-
terious situation. The cordial ex-
change OF statements between Gen.
erals Giraud and de Gaulle within
the past fortnight, and the simul-
taneous arrival of General Georges
Catroux, De Gaulle's right-hand man,
at Algiers, led the world to believe
that an agreement in principle had
been arrived at between the leaders
of the two outstanding French fac
tions opposed to the Axis, and that
the scheduled meeting at Algiers
would iron out the last details of q
pact ensuring French patriotic unity.
Now it appears that those hopes
were premature. The first sign of
contingent trouble appeared three
days ago, when De Gaulle's head
quarters In London expressed dis
satisfaction over the situation In
French Guiana. That colony on the
Caribbean coast of South America
recently repudiated the authority of
Vichyite Admiral Robert at Mar
Unique, but is apparently split over
whether to transfer its allegiance to
De Gaulle's Fighting French or to
Giraud's North African regime. At
the moment this was considered to
be minor matter. Now 1t looks as
though the Guiana mixup is merely
part of more serious complications
as yet hidden from public knowledge.
Those complications must be serious;
otherwise, the Algiers meeting would
not have been postponed "indef-
initely" as London press dispatches
describe the action.
Lack Of official explanations has
naturally evoked a flood Of rumor
and speculation. One Of the most
curious aspects Of the affair Is that
the first intimation was given to the
world by the German-controlled
Paris radio, while Allied news serv-
ices were still trying to pry the an
nouncement loose from the British
censors who held it up. Informed
comment tends to go behind General
Eisenhower's request, doubling that
he acted purely on his own initiative.
Few commentators believe that, this
time, there is any divergence Of views
between the American and British
governments. Indeed, there is
tendency in Washington to think
that the initiative came originally
from London. The North African
and other phases of the French prob
lem were undoubtedly discussed dur
ing Anthony Eden's visit here, and
there Is good reason to believe that
substantial identity OF views was
achieved.
From all this, the most plausible
theory seems to be that the old
stumbling blocks to French patriotic
unity have not been removed. Gen.
eral de Gaulle has consistently in
sisted upon the merging of all fac
tions in an essentially political union
under his self-styled National Com
mittee. This would amount to a
provisional government for France
and It's empire. De Gaulle and his
followers have likewise insisted upon
the removal from the North African
administration Of all persons pre-
viously affiliated with Vichy. That
would entail wholesale dismissals
which might disrupt the official
services there at a moment when
the military situation In Tunisia
takes precedence over political con-
siderations. The De Gaullists still
seem to be a small minority In North
Africa, and the prospect Of the
Fighting French taking over appears
to rouse bitter opposition among the
majority, which supports the Giraud
regime as it now exists.
The situation is admittedly unfor-
tunate with possible bad repercus-
sions both in the French colonies
and in France itself. Fighting
French headquarters in London are
obviously disappointed and SEEM
ingly angry. But hard facts must
be realistically faced