Evening star., 1960-01-25
PARIS
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the army. against yourselves
and against France"
1t seems probable that con-
sequences for such Algerian
leaders as Joseph Ortiz, Pierre
Lagaillarde and Robert Martel
will not be pleasant. These
men who have openly preached
rebellion and led the mob on
the barricades Of Algiers al
most certainly will be held re-
sponsible for the deaths that
have occurred.
How far others may be impli-
Gated is still not clear. There
has been speculation about the
role Of former Premier Georges
Bidault who disappeared from
mis- Paris home Saturday night
after an order was issued for
bidding him from going to Al
geria. A leader Of rightwing
extremists. Mr.. Bidault served
notice that he would ignore
the order. Today, however, he
reappeared again. still in Paris,
with the air Of a man who has
spent an innocentliy restful
week end.
What seems perfectly clear is
that this time the authorities
were fully prepared for a new
outbreak and had carefully
braced themselves to cope with
1t. In the light of what has
happened. conferences and de-
cisions Of the last few days take
on new significance.
Gen. de Gaulle himself in a
sense precipitated the show
down by firing Gen. Jacques
Massu from his Algiers COM
mand. AS a hero of extremists
outspokenly critical of the gov
ernment's liberal policies in Al
geria, Gen. Massu could not
have been recalled without risk
of explosion.
AT the same time, Gen de
Gaulle took steps to insure the
support Of the military leader
ship in Algeria. The French
commander, Gen. Mauric
Challe, and the civil delegate,
Paul Delouvrier. returned to
Algiers from Paris armed with
new assurances that no political
negotiations with the Aleerian
nationalist leaders would be
opened. They also had new
legal weapons to deal with ter
rorist activity in Algeria.
Both these moves-and par
ticularly the decision estab-
fishing summary courts Of JUS
tice-had been strongly urged
by military leaders including,
incidentally. Gen. Massu.
Ready for Challenge
Assured that the Army would
follow his orders, Gen. de Gaulle
was ready at last to face UP
to the challenge which Algerian
extremists raised against his
authority and that of the state.
And for all the anguish that 1t
may cause, there is real relief
that the struggle for power
which began on May 13, 1858,
seems likely now to be ended
once and for all.
Until now the men who led
the rebellion which overthrew
the Fourth Republic have been
able to cherish the dangerous
Illusion that they could in the
end impose their ideas on
France. Or at least to dem
onstrate that decisions made
in Paris could not be imposed
on Algeria.
Quite evidently, these leaders
counted on the hope that their
call to revolt would be answered
by at least part of the army
in Algeria and that authorities
faced for the first time with
the decision of firing on their
own citizens would give way.
This illusion-in fact this pos
sibility which has haunted
France for two years and
seemed at times to weigh
heavily in decisions Of Gen. de
Gaulle himself-had to be de-
molished at some point
And while there is no tend
ency in Paris to underestimate
the seriousness of the situation
In Algeria or the bitterness OF
the aftermath, the worst dan
ger seems to have been over
come.