Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-10-12
French Cite SeIf-RuIe
Aid to Africa Colonies

tives and 10000 Europeans In
a million square miles.
Also included are the Island
of Madagascar, the Comoro is
lands. French SomaliIand, To-
goland, the Cameroons, and, in
the Pacific. New Caledonia and
French Polynesia, and st.
Pierre and Miquelon, two is
lands south Of Newfoundland.
Reforms Adopted
A year ago the French parlia-
ment adopted a reform frame.
work law giving all these areas
these new institutions:
First. executive councils made
up of Frenchmen and elected
natives who will administer
the territories.
Second, territorial assemblies
with power to legislate on more
and more subjects.
Third, a revamped overseas
civil service which will bring
more natives into local admin
istration.
Fourth. a new electoral pro-
cedure giving every native the
same vote as a European resi-
dent.
| Fifth, new provisions for
French investment in the terri.
torial economies.
All this adds up to more self
rule for the Africans and less
authority for France.
The goal, France has said
officially. is freedom Of self
administration and democratic
management Of their own af-
fairs"
Most Frenchmen believe this
is what the majority Of Aleger.
ians want today.
Reasons for Advances
There are several reasons
why France has been more en-
lightened in her Black African
and island policy.
For one thing, the reforms
came at a time when France
was so preoccupied with the
war in Algeria that no one
found time TO be an obstruc-
zionist.
Also. Black Africa and the
islands are not handicapped
by the legal fiction, as In the
case Of Algeria. that they are
an integral part Of France.
Black Africa has few perma-
nent French settlers as do
North African countries. es-
pescially Algeria. That means
France interests in the terri.
tories are not so vocal, and
Frenchmen back in Paris do
not have to worry so much
about the fate Of settlers under
a native government. For its
part. the population Of these
areas being generally less "ad.
vanced" along educational ard
political lines. is less FESTIVE.
Furthermore, its demands for
independence are not spurred
on as in the north by the
powerful propaganda Of PAN
Arabism.
Also contributing to LIBERAL
ism is the fact that France
learned its lesson in Indo-
China. Morocco and Tunisia.
A Partial Success
Is the liberal solution, which
Frances friends in the United
Nations have been urging on
her, working?
Certainly, it is at least q
partial success. There are no
uprisings in this vast colonial
area, and talk Of independ-
ence is subdued.
But on the other hand, na.
tive leaders are looking for.
ward already to even more self
government.
When the framework law is
fully applied land it will 60 at
a different pace in different
territories. the natives will be
IN charge Of their own schools,
public works. hygiene, finances,
commerce, agriculture, interior
services and local police. France
will retain control over armies.
courts, foreign policy and ma
tional police.
AT a conference last month
at Banako. Sudan. native Lead
ers from all over French Africa
outlined their next goal: A fed
Grafton of all French African
countries under a native federal
parliament. Exactly what role
France herself would play was
not made clear. But Felix
Houphouet Boigny. of the Ivory
Coast, foremost native leader in
French Africa, does not seem
to have secession in mind, Just
more autonomy.
Two Views
Many Frenchmen Of the right
do worry about secession. how.
ever. They say France must
draw the line or all will be lost.
The liberals. on the other
hand. say autonomy will lead
TO some sort of commonwealth
association such as that enjoyed
by former British colonies or
Puerto Rico. Trade with these
areas would continue (one-
fourth Of Frances imports are
from these countries and one
third Of her exports go to
them, liberals say, and future
designs for an economic and
perhaps political "Eurafrica"
would leave France sitting
pretty.
But anyhow. France is doing
what everyone accuses her of
failing to do in Algeria: Offer
ing Self-government in order to
meet the desires of the native
population. 1t will be a few
years before they know if they
took the right advice.