Evening star., 1945-05-22
Truman and De GauI|e
To Confer; New Era Of
Friendship Predicted
BY JOSEPH H. BAIRD.

BY JOSEPH III. BAIRD.
A meeting between President
Truman and Gen. Charles de
Gaulle has been definitely ar
ranged and there are strong
indications that a new era of
closer Franco-American collabo-
ration is approaching.
Those developments were high
lighted by a statement issued last
night by Foreign Minister Georges
Bidault of France after call at the
White House. He said that the
French provisional president was
ready to accept the bid for a con-
ference extended by Mr.. Truman
last week and added that the meet
ing would mark "a new step toward
a closer France-American friend
ship"
Mr.. Bidault stopped off here en-
route to Paris from the United Ma
tions Conference at San Francisco
where he has headed the French
delegation.
10 ala III racine.
In his statement, Mr.. Bidault also
promised that France would do her
utmost" to contribute to the fight
against Japan. Both land and naval
forces of France, he said, are ready
to take part in the Far Eastern war
under the Allied supreme command
Reports from Paris several days ago
said that France had approximately
$4,000 well-trained troops ready to
leave for the Orient as soon as
transportation could be arranged.
On the sea, the modern battleship
Richelieu and number of lesser
French units are understood to be
available.
In the European theater, Mr.. BIZ
dault continued, France is ready to
place at the disposal of American
forces AL the facilities and re-
sources available to her for their
redeployment."
Mr.. Bidault said France had ad-
vised the American Government on
its ideas for preventing German
aggression from endangering again
the peace of Europe and of the
world" He predicted that France
and the United States would see
eye-to-eye on policies for the con-
troll of Germany.
Economic Problems.
Last week President Truman Of
fered to share with France the ad-
of the American zone
of occupation in Southern Germany.
Mr.. Bidault made no direct refer
ence to this proposal, but observers
here have no doubt that it will be
accepted.
With regard to the economic re-
of France, he said:
Il hope also that the United
States will be able to give us her
during the following period
in order to facilitate our economic
A lease-lend protocol providing
raw materials and industrial ma
chinery as well as munitions re-
Gently was signed by the United
States and France. Observers ex-
oect it to be followed by long-term
for the industrial
restoration of France as soon as
more shipping is available.
Relations Strained.
The cordial tone of the conversa-
tions between President Truman
and Mr.. Bidault as well as the
practical obligations each has un-
dertaken indicates that Franco
American relations are entering a
period of greater cordiality than has
existed since the fall of the Third
Republic in 1910.
Signs of improvement were evi-
dent before the death of President
Roosevelt. But for three years be-
fore that, relations between the
White House and Gen. de Gaulle
frequently were strained. The De
GaUlists resented the fact that
when American troops entered
French North Africa in 1912, the
United States chose to collaborate
with Gen. Henri Giraud rather than
Gen. de Gaulle's French Committee
Of National Liberation.
This antagonism was prolonged
after the committee moved from
Algiers to London and declared itself
the provisional government of
France, because this country refused
to recognize it as such.
Disappointed on Aid.
Partly as result of this coolness,
Gen. de Gaulle began to look toward
Moscow for political support, and
negotiated 20-year mutual defense
pact with the Russians. For time
1t appeared that the new French
government might swing far toward
the left.
Gen. de Gaulle and his followers
we're bitterly disappointed, too, that
the United States and Great Britain
did not do more Immediately after
the liberation of France to alleviate
economic distress in France. Ameri-
can officials explained privately
that this failure was unavoidable
because of the tremendous demands
on shipping resulting from Gen.