Evening star., 1960-01-20
MASSU

power in 1858.
The Defense Ministry itself
issued a statement today say
ing that, contrary to what was
said in the German article,
Gen. Massu has wholeheartedly
co-operated with President de
Gaulle's Algerian policies. In
particular, he is said to have
worked closely with the French
courts of justice set up to deal
with Subversive warfare. He
is persuaded that the Moslem
masses retain their con-
f1dence" in Gen. de Gaulle's
efforts to restore peace in
Algeria. He has no ambition
to be a spokesman for the army
as a whole and is loyal to the
orders of his superiors with
out any intellectual reserva-
ton whatever"
All this is a far cry from
what he is reported to have
said in his talk with a German
reporter a few days ago. In
this version. Gen. de Gaulle
was a man who doesn't under
stand the Moslems." Weak
ness could accomplish nothing
The official French policy of
auto-determination must lead
sooner or later to the loss of
Algeria. The army had DOS
sibly made a mistake" in
boosting leader who had
turned out to be a man of
the left" The great question
now was to find Gen. de
Gaulle's successor.
Crucial Meeting Due
Whatever the defense min
lster may be prepared to be-
lieve, it goes without saving
that most people-both here
ana In Algeria-do not think
that the interview was made
up. And whatever may happen
10 Gen. Massu-who will be
meeting shortly with Gen, de
Gaulle and Premier Debre the
reaction to the incident seems
likely to precipitate a crisis
that has been brewing for some
time.
In Algeria the original state
ments attributed to the gen.
eral are accepted without cues
ton As rejecting the attitude
lot the army as whole. to say
nothing of the more violent
views of many civilians. The
reaction is that it was high
time that Paris woke UP to a
situation that is becoming
graver daily.
new Attack Indicated
In fact, the Massu interview
taken in conjunction with the
communique of the Federation
OF Mayors of the Algiers region
published yesterday has all the
earmarks Of a new about at
tack on President de Gaulle's
liberal policies for Algeria. On
the eve of a conference of all
Algerian leaders in Paris. the
mayors bitterly denounced the
offer OF auto-determination for
the territory and threatened to
take up arms, If necessary in
defense Of French interests
This feeling in Algeria is
clearly that. once Paris under
stands" the determination of
the extremist settlers, the
restivenesS of the army, the
implications of new terrorist
acts in the AlgierS region and
the apparent refusal of
Algerian nationalist leaders to
negotiate a settlement .
then Gen. de Gaulle will change
his policy.
In this belief Algerian
actlvitiSts may be mistaken.
The reaction in Paris to the
incidents has indeed been one
OF shocked surprise, particularly
/ in the case of Gen. Massu. But
the attitude of the average
metropolitan French m an
toward the Algerian war has
, also become a good deal firmer
than 1t once was. And the
: idea of Scrapping policies which
still offer the best hope of
peace ul solution of the
Algerian conflict does not sit
well at all.
DE Gaulle Is Adamant
PRESIDENT de Gaulle, further
= more, is in no mood Tor argu-
, mentS. He has recently
! demonstrated an increasing
! Willingness TO assert his au-
thority over fraCtiouS Parlia-
ment and ministers such as
L. eX-FlnanCe Minister Antoine
Pinay who don't see eye to
, eye with him. The question
/ now is how hard he may decide
to crack down on inSubordina-
: tion in the army and among
civilian leaders in Algeria.
At the moment, thanks to
Gen. MaSsu'S prompt and un-
conditional act of obciSance,
the ak may not fall. But there's
a growing impatience in Paris
over incidents of this kind. And
new and fateful test of
strength between Paris and
Algiers seems inevitable sooner
IOr later