Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-06-08

are demanding a place in the sun.
a chance to live in the 10th GEN.
tury, Specifically they are clamor-
ing for self-government, economic
opportunity, and recognition as
self-respecting individuals with
dignity and status.
Few here doubt that eventually
they will get all these things. The
only real questions. U. N. people
say, are when, how, and with
whose help they will get them.
And where their Royalties will be
when they finally have reached
their goal.
Decisions made today-as in
Tunisia and Algeria will nightly
influence that outcome. NATO
solidarity and the future align
ment of Africa and Asia conflict
every time a colonial issue requires
the United States, Canada, or any
other NATO member to choose
between supporting its colony
owning allies and assisting a
people under foreign domination.
Booking Both Sides
Time after time. the United
States has tried to back both sides
at once or alternately. Wash
ington has sought to build strength
at the center of the alliance at
the same time it is trying to be-
friend Afro-ASians on its periph-
cry. This is as difficult as blow
ing and swallowing at the same
time" as Dean Acheson has put it.
Using U. N. levers, the United
States first pried the Dutch out
of Indonesia-then stood aloof
when the new nation quarreled
with its former masters over New
Guinea.
When NasSer seized the Suez
Canal, the United States first gave
half-hearted support to politico-
diplomatic efforts to get it back,
then Joined an outraged Africa
and Asia in frustrating its forcible
recovery.
When the French army in Al
geria went out Of Paris control
and attacked the Tunisian village
Of Sakiet Sidi Youssef last Feb
ruary, the United States and Brit
ain tried to get satisfaction for
Tunisia without offending France.
A def compromise, devised by an
Anglo American good offices team,
cleared every hurdle except the
algeria lobby" in the French Ma
ional Assembly.
So long as the Algerian lobby
had the power of veto, the prob
lem was insoluble. Somehow that
veto power had to be neutralized.
The French army, in overthrow
ing the traditional formal of the
fourth republic and enthroning
Gen. Charles de Gaulle in Ma
tignon Palace. did destroy that
power. Unwittingly, the Algeria
lobby co-operated in its own dis
enfranchisement.
De GouIIe May Chonee
1t remains to be seen, of course.
whether Gen. De Gaulle can, and
will wish to. use his power to make
a liberal settlement with President
Bourguiba of Tunisia. First indi-
cations are that he will.
Two meetings of the U. N.
Security Council last week were
devoted to nudging Gen. de Gaulle
in the direction of friendly negoti-
alton with Tunisia. They seem to
have had a certain effect.
Building fire under a man like
Gen. de Gaulle is a touchy opera
ton; it requires just the right
amount of pressure-not too
much and not too little. The
Tunisian delegate, Mongi Slim,
showed extraordinary political
SophiStication; Washington man
aged to restrain Iraq's fiery
and bombaStic Mohammed Fad
hill al-Jamali. At the weeks
end, the prospect was for Franco
Tunisian negotiations on the basis
of the good-off1ces compromise.
Having accomplished this much,
the U. N. discreetly stepped aside.
1t may thus be possible-in
TuniSia today-to serve both the
military interests of the NATO
alliance and the relations of the