Evening star., 1961-04-23
By CROSBY S. MOVES

the appeals for calm and the
sternly reassuring tone Of the
official statements, Paris to-
night is a city of rising tension
and anxiety.
THE generals coup in Algiers,
which began early this morn
ing, is widely recognized here as
the most serious threat mounted
50 far against the government
and the policies of President
de Gaulle. If it is not decisively
and quickly crushed, the posi-
bility of civil war in Algeria or
indeed in France itself will be
quite real.
The government announce
rnent tonight proclaiming a
state Of emergency throughout
France and Algeria testified to
the gravity with which the situ-
alton is viewed here.
From the outset it was obvi-
Gus that the new blow against
the government was quite diff
ferent than those mounted on
two other occasions in the last
three years.
( Both of the earlier inSurrec-
tions started out as demonstra-
tionS by the civilian settler
population in hopes of tnvolv-
ling the army on side of the
rebels,
Army Switches
In May, 1858, the scheme
worked. The government in
Paris was overthrown and Gen.
de Gaulle was brought to
power. In January, 1860, sec
ond settler revolt failed when
the army stood firm and fol-
lowed orders from Paris.
This time the army itself is
directly involved from the out
set. The group of retired gen.
erals who moved into Algiers
at the head Of a regiment OF
Foreign Legion paratrooperS,
seized control of the city and
arrested the representatives OF
the Paris government, are all
well known as the most deter
mined champions Of French
Algeria" All of them recently
resigned in protest against
Gen. de Gaulle's program for
elf-determination in Algeria.
But their influence with at
least the more dissatisfied ele-
ments of the French army in
Algeria is still considerable.
The most surprising member
whose presence as a leader
Of, the officers mutiny causes
the greatest concern here
is Gen. Maurice Challe, for
mer commander-in-chief in
Algeria who retired at SIS while
serving as commander OF
NATO's ground forces. Gen.
Challe is known as one Of the
ablest officers of the French
army, hardly the type Of man
to- associate. himself with a
hasty or ill-planned venture.
! Carefully Organized
The whole development Of
the coup, furthermore, suggests
careful organization and a
large degree Of confidence on
the part of the mutineers.
Orders issued by the junta this
afternoon proclaiming state
Of siege and promising speedy
arrest and trial Of all those
planning abandonment of Al
geria" indicate that the insur-
rection is by no means limited
in its aims. In order to carry
out its announced aims, the
rebel group would have to be
assured of quickly seizing con-
troll throughout Algeria. Which
means, in effect, that they are
counting on the support Of the
entire 500,000-man army in
North Africa.
So far, at least, they have not
received this support, accord
ing to official government
statements and confused and
fragmentary reports reaching
Paris from other major cities
in AlgierS.
Paris Surprised
While the rebel group had
acted with energy and decision,
the government itself was OBJ
viously taken completely by
surprise. When the alarm was
sounded early this morning a
number Of key cabinet minis
ters were out of town and had
to be hastily recalled.
The first government reac-
ton consists Of alerting police
and internal security forces in
France itself. Numerous arrests
of extreme right-wing leaders
were made throughout the day.
but many others were found