Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-25
Algerian Peace
Triumph for West
BY WILLIAM r.. FRYE
Contributing Writer

UNITED NATIONS, N. Y. - A
seven-year ordeal of blood and
terror seems almost over in Al
geria-and the whole Western
World has cause for rejoicing.
Together with 1t. Col. John H.
Glenn's electric triumph in space,
the Congo's distinct if hesitant
progress toward unity, and the
U. Ms resounding slap in the face
for Cuba, it has made for a rare
week of good news for the West.
In a sense, Algeria is to diplo-
macy what the conquest Of space
is to science. The Algerian settle
ment is. indeed, likely to be one
Of the biggest diplomatic stories
of the year..
The extraordinary boon to
NATO Of militarily revivified
France - France no longer
drained Of manpower and treas
ure by a pointless colonial war
will be only one of the many sub
stantial benefits of peace in Al
geria.
Peace, If and when CONSOLE
dated, will open up the possibility
of a Magreb, or North African
federation, economically and per-
haps emotionally linked to France
and the West. Hatreds and bit
terness can be submerged to mu-
tual benefit. as they have been
in India. when the ex-colonial
power ceases to rule and begins
to befriend.
Communist Drift Stopped
Peace will. in any event, re-
move powerful lever which had
been prying Tunisia and the So
called Casablanca countries of
North and Central Africa toward
the Communist bloc. At one time
Morocco, commanding the entry
to the Mediterranean Sea, was
very close to becoming a Sino-
Soviet satellite.
Peace in Algeria will relieve
the United States, Canada and
other close friends of France, of
the cruel diplomatic dilemma
which periodically tore them apart
whether to back an ally or to
support human freedom.
Fence-straddling always tended
to antagonize both sides, leading
to misunderstanding, resentment,
and divided counsels in NATO.
Peace in Algeria will remove a
major source of friction between
France and the U. N. - friction
which has led France, among 9TH
er things, to join Russia in refus-
ing to pay Congo dues. It thus
should help to isolate Russia and
strengthen the U. N.
And an Algerian settlement
should be tremendous benefit to
France at home. Once the imme-
date shock wave from the right
wing has subsidized, it should en-
able France to get back on her
democratic feet, removing serious
threats from both right and left
and facilitating the replacement
of Gen. de Gaulle by better-bal-
anced executive Legislative sys-
tenn.
Hitches May Occur
None of this is likely to happen
overnight. There can still be ma
jor bitches. There may we'll be a
further period of anguish during
which the GAS, the secret army Of
European extremists, continues it's
desperate campaign to sabotage a
settlement.
Premier Khrushchev could be
the only gamer from such a cam
paign. AS so often happens, the
extremes of right and left have
come together in Algeria and
found themselves working for a
common objective.
But, the GAS has already tried
virtually everything - terror, eX-
tortion, and murder; an air at
tack on Moroccan territory; and
an army backed uprising. Its sue
cess has been very limited. There
has not been any real sign that it
has the power to destroy an agree
ment.
On the contrary, many here be-