The Wilmington morning star., 1945-08-25
DeCuHe Seeking Help
For French Industries
Continued from Page One)

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sented him the Legion of Merit
and the accompanying degree of
Chief Commander.
At the same time the President
pinned around the neck of Bidault
the Legion of Merit, degree of Com
mander.
At the conclusion of the award of
the American medals, Gen. De
Gaulle presented to President Tru-
man painting by Joseph Du Pies
SIS OF Benjamin Franklin, which
Franklin had given to a friend in
Paris in ITO when he was Am
bassador to France.
also given the President was a
large bronze medal from the City
OF Metz, France, in commemo-
ration Of the Allied liberation OF
that city on November 10, 1914.
The Byrnes- Ridault conferences
cont nued today, the French minis
ter calling at the State Depart.
ment at the same time De Gaulle
was holding his news conference in
French Embassy parlor.
Sitting at a table in front of a
fireplace, De Gaulle, wearing his
usual gray uniform with the Corss
of Lorrzine, talked easily, smiled
frequently and displayed none oil
the pomposity which frequently
has been attributed to him.
He answered all questions ex.
cept one having to do with speci.
fic details of his discussions with
Mr.. Truman. That, he said, would
have to wait until the conversations
had been concluded.
When asked for comment on Pre-
sident Truman's statment to
French reporters that the French
press had not given America a
square deal, De Gaulle drew a
round of laughs when he observed:
Il must say that during the last
five years, I, also, have been struck
by some articles in the United
States press in regard to French
policy. -
He disclosed, however, that Mr.
Truman had brought the French
press matter to his attention, as
well as to that of the journalists.
Although individual journalists
might be critical of the United
States, the French press as a whole
and "all Of the French people" are
most favorably disposed to this
country, he said.
In regard to Western Europe,
De Gaulle said France did not want
to annext German territory. The
French now were controlling ter
ritory through which Germany re-
peatedly had attacked France, he
said.
THAT control must be con-
tinued."
France will propose a plan for
internationalzing the coalrich
Ruhr basin of Germany at the COM
ing meeting of the Council of For
eign Ministers n London, he dis
closed.
The French intend to hold the
left bank of the Rhine indefinitely
and hope for a revision OF the pres
ent occupation zones which allo-
Gated to France only about half
as much territory as that con-
trolled by the United States, Rus.
STA and Britain, De Gaulle said.
So far as the Far East is con-
cerned. the French president said:
/. The United States would have
to take leading role in the eco
nomic and political reorganization
of that area and France was de-
termed to render major coopera-
ton in that effort.
2. France intends to maintain
full sovereignty in Indo-China and
New Caledonia and any arrange
ments for permanent American
naval base at Noumea will have
to be made by the World Security
Organization.
One of the highligtts on his pro-
gram tomorrow will be an inspec.
ton trip to the United States Ma
val Academy, Annapolis, Md.