Evening star., 1960-06-21

QdulC, once premier ana peren-
nial Foreign Minister of France
a flabby frog-like figure peer
ing inscrutably from behind
black-rimmed spectacles. Next
to him, Mr.. Marcais, a chain
smoker with a nervous tor
mented face and trembling
hands, sits with his fellow AL
gerian deputy, Marc Lauriol,
On the right is the real leader
of the movement. Mr.. Sous
telle, ,swarthy, alert and per-
spring slightly, stands with
notebook in hand to give re-
porters a rundown of the days
meeting.
1t is a fair sample of the lead
ership of the new organization.
Other movements which have
tried to take over the destiny
of Algeria and impose their
will on France have been led
by fanatics and crackpots.
Their following in Algeria has
been large but ineffective, their
influence with the army linn
tied.
These men, by contrast,
number in their company some
real heavyweights of the po-
litical world in terms of expert
ence and brains, if not of popu-
lar following. For the most part
they are outcasts Of the Fifth
Republic. united only-as they
freely admit-by their attitude
on Algeria and also, one might
add, their detestation of Gen.
de Gaulle and their own ambi-
tionS.
Faith in Success
Whatever happens in Algeria
this time, these men will be
calling the shots. For the first
time they have openly and pub
licly staked all of their ambi-
tions on a movement which can
succeed only with the over
throw of President de Gaulle.
1t is most unlikely that they
would take such a step without
considerable faith. in their ul-
innate success.
The Front for a French AL
geria is no conspiracy. 1t is an
open movement actively look
ing for wide public support in
France as well as Algeria. A
"liaison committee has opened
an office on Avenue Kleber in
downtown Paris, Mr.. Lauriol
announces.
Liaison with whom? The or
ganization of a new insurrec-
ton in Algeria is not part of
the announced plans of the
front. Its leaders are vague
about what may happen there
in the next few weeks. They are
vague, in fact, about how they
propose to defend under all
circumstances" the principles
they embrace.
And yet, as Mr.. Soustelle's
rundown makes abundantly
clear, the tone of the days
debate" is unpleasantly famil-
lar. Most of the reporters re-
member hearing the same sort
of talk in the Forum Of Algiers
last January.
On the way out, one of them
catches up with Mr.. Soustelle
Will he be going to Algeria
soon? Mr.. Soustelle shrugs.
"Perhaps-who knows. After
all, it is part Of France. I have
a right to go there"
LET Charles Do 1t"
Driving back to town through
the bustling evening traffic, O
friend wonders what. if any,
thing, the French public will
make of the new movement.
The worst feature of the whole
affair, he thinks, is the almost
total euphoric apathy of peo-
pie.
They'll go happily off to the
Seashore on their paid vaca-
tions," he predicts. And they'll
come home again to find a
bunch of characters with dark
glasses and Algerian accents
running the show. And it will
serve them quite right"
Our friend could well be
quite wrong. But there is, in
fact, a distressing attitude of
"let Charles do it" in France.
Charles will do it, of course
if he can. But more public
awareness of what is afoot and
the stakes involved would vast
ly strengthen his hand.