Evening star., 1948-03-08
French Reds AssaiI
De GauIIe's Plea for
U. 5. Military Help
BY the Associated Press

PARIS, Mar. 8.-Gen. Charles
de Gaulle's call for American
help for an organization of West
ern European states to oppose
Russia claimed the top interest
of French politicians and news
papers today.
Gen. De Gaulle. first provisional
president of reconquered France,
declared at Compiegne yesterday he
was ready to take over power when
ever called on. He said also that
American aid to Western Europe
should extend to the field Of defense.
National Assembly deputies gath
cred in groups to discuss the speech.
Paris-Presse. supporter of the
general, said events force De
Gaulle not to wait longer
Charges War Declaration.
The Communist Ce Soir said Gen.
De Gaulle declared war on the
republic" The article said Gen.
De Gaulle and Premier Robert
Schuman's government speak the
same language and have IAN ex-
asperating anti = communistic at
titude and a total submission to the
foreign policy of America"
Intransigeant, independent right
ist newspaper, said the union Gen.
de Gaulle advocated was against
the Communists and "only the Com
munists, of course, would be ex-
cluded" The account said the gen.
eral never had been so categorical
in demanding power.
France Soir, independent Cen
trist newspaper, commented:
Gen. de Gaulle demands power.
He seems to have renounced de-
manding dissolution of Parliament,
one of his previous conditions to
taking over power. Revision of the
constitution no longer appears SO
urgent in his eyes"
Speaks Near Historic Site.
The wartime Free French leader
and first postwar President declared
himself yesterday at public meet
ing of his rally of the French Peo-
pie at a point near where Germany
surrendered to France and the Al
lies in 1918 and where France sur
rendered to Germany in 1910.
He came out for the first time
with the fiat statement that Ger
man States, "federating as they
wish, would naturally find their
place in the grouping of other Eu-
ropean states" He said the same
went for Austria and Ruhr with
its own special regime"
Gen. de Gaulle hailed the Clear
sighted generosity of the United
States in lending Europe large and
prolonged help in the economic
field
But 1t is clear" he said, that
their support should spread at the
same time to the fields of defense
in as precise and explicit manner
as the Marshall Plan does on cred
its and imports.
"An economic, diplomatic and
strategic group must be formed
among the free states of Europe,
linking together production, their
exchanges, their foreign activities
and means of defense" he said. He
estimated that such an organization
might have the support of 250,000, 900
men.
Five Nations Meeting.
France, Britain, Belgium, the
Netherlands and Luxembourg have
been meeting in Brussels to plan a
Western European union France,
Britain and the United States an
nounced agreement in London
Saturday on a federalized Western
Germany and international control
of the Ruhr. Gen. De Gaulle made
no direct reference to either develop
d ment.
He saw Chronic feeblenesS and
permanent crisis" in the present sit
uation in France. Urging an elec-
ton, he said he was prepared to
take charge whenever he was al
forded the necessary responsibility
He pictured France as threatened
from abroad by an expanding Rus
sia whose masters. he said, aim at
world domination" and at nome by
"separatists (Communists) at The
service of these foreigners"