Evening star., 1948-02-23
By CordeII Hull
Assisted by Andrue Berdins)
:. CHAPTER XIV

= CHAPTER XIV.
Following Pearl Harbor, our in.
formal relations with Gen. Charlie.
de Gaulle were embittered by hi.
unwarranted action in ordering the
forcible occupation of the French
islands of st. Pierre and Miquelon
off the Newfoundland coast, by Fret
French forces. The incident oc.
Cured on Christmas Eve, while the
President was entertaining Prime
Minister Churchill at the White
House.
These islands had been under the
jurisdiction of Gov. Robert at Mar.
Unique. We had already reached
agreements with Gov. Robert, re.
newed few days after Pearl Har-
Dor, whereby our interest in main
tanning the status quo of st, Pierre
and Miquelon was safeguarded,
We had also had negotiations
with Canada during November ano
December concerning powerful
wireless station on st. Pierre which
both Canada and we feared might
serve as guide to German sub
marines. We agreed that Canada
should send operators to supervise
messages transmitted by the station
and that we would join Canada in
economic pressure against the
islands if the local Governor re-
fused to accede to Canada's move.
The Canadian government had
informed us on December of a
suggestion from the British gov
ernment that the islands be oLcu-
pied by the Free French. This
suggestion did not appeal either to
the Canadians or to ourselves.
De Gauile Sends Minister.
At the end Of November De Gaulle
had sent his Minister of Marine
Admiral Muselier, to inspect the
Free. French corvettes operating
with the British off Newfoundland
and at the same time to undertake
to rally the Miquelon Islands to
his movement. Muselier went to
Ottawa where he sought the opinion
of the Canadian government. The
Canadian External Affairs Depart
ment would not give him permission.
On December Is the British For
eign Office stated that Prime Min
lister Churchill felt 1t would be de-
sirable for the Free French forces
to land and control the radio sta
ton rather than for the Canadian
government to take action in what
might be an embarrassing political
situation. The Foreign Office said
further that no action would be
taken unless the consent of the
American and Canadian govern
ments had been obtained.
Muselier saw our minister in
Ottawa, Pierrepont Moffat, that
same day and asked for the opinion
of the American government as to
a landing of Free French troops on
the islands. The President read
Moffat's telegram to this effect and
said he did not favor any policy
whereby the Free French were per-
mitted to move in on the st. Pierre
Miquelon situation. This was tele-
phoned to Moffat.
Decision Accepted.
Moffat informed Muselier of our
veiws on December l6. Muselier
said to Moffat he felt we were max
ing a mistake, but he would accept
this decision.
The Counselor of the Canadian
Legation in Washington, Mr.. Hume
Wrong, said on December % that
he could inform us that any action
by the Free French forces had been
called off
Meantime. however, Muselier had
communicated with De Gaulle, who
ordered him to 60 ahead just the
same.
Without previous warning to
Canada or the United States, Ad-
miral Muselier therefore landed a
small force on the islands on
Christmas Eve and took charge.
On that Christmas Day issued
statement, with the approval of the
President, characterizing the in
cident by three "so-called Free
French ships" as IAN arbitrary
action contrary to the agreement of
all parties concerned and certainly
without the prior knowledge or con-
sent in any sense of the United
States Government"
Unfortunately, many influential
people, both in the United States
and abroad, did not comprehend
the broader issues, and Unbiased q
violent attack on the State Depart
ment and on me for having issued
the statement I did on the seizure
Of the islands. Few actions that
seemed so minor have ever aroused
opposition that became so bitter.
President on Sidelines.'
I had a blunt conversation with
Prime Minister Churchill at the
White House on the whole question
of our relations with Vichy France,
with the seizure of the islands as a
springboard. The President, who
thoroughly agreed with my position,
was present at this discussion, but
he remained on the sidelines while