Evening star., 1962-04-02

as friends. The youngest OF
them could have passed for a
poet. After seven years of fight
ing he still seemed hardly old
enough to be trusted with a
gun.
Came From Hills
They had moved in from the
hills about 10 days ago, the
soldiers said. There had been
no trouble whatever - the
villagers already knew them
well.
Did the French troops down
the road know they were here?
The leader smiled. II don't
know. But If they do they don't
seem too interested"
The task Of organizing the
villagers for the coming vote
on Algerian independence was
already well under way. They
would vote all right-every man
and woman of them. Nor was
there any doubt about the
result. Discipline with us, is
very strong. Whatever our
leaders tell us to do we will
do"
The youngest spoke the best
French. He had been a
student before the outbreak of
the rebellion seven years ago.
What did he plan to do now?
That depends. I guess prob
ably I'll have to stay in the
army for a while longer.
They are quiet, cautious men
without very much to say. II
had been a long war and q
bitter one. in the hills. Most oi
them had been wounded more
than once. But they had beer
well taken care of by the local
villagers from the beginning
I'VE were never really hungry
and you get used to living out
of DOORS"
Peace Is Important
And now there was peace.
An uneasy peace, to be sure,
when one still spoke in whis-
perS and kept ones weapons
within arms reach. But it
was terribly important that
nothing should destroy it. And
If these men could prevent it
nothing would.
We left the cluster of houses
and walked back toward the
French army post beyond
where the cars were parked. As
we passed the entrance to the
barracks our way was suddenly
blocked by a startling appari-
ton. A beefy French sergeant
major, mustache bristling and
face flaming with anger lurched
unSteadily in our direction
shouting insults at the top of
his lungs.
THE hell with you," he bel
lowed. "The hell with all
pieds noirS. You lousy AL
gerians make me sick"
The sergeant major spat with
incredible energy and accuracy,
narrowly missing us.
I've a bellyfull of all pieds
noirs, do you hear?"
Once we had explained who
we were a remarkable trans
formation took place. We were
embraced! thumped and en-
quilted. Herded through the
gates Of the post a soldier was
sent running to a nearby bar
for a case of beer. And while
the sergeant major ranted on
about the shortcomings of Al
geria's European population we
were firmly trapped.
Fourteen years of service
Go bring me my medals
seven years Of this -
war-if you're really news
paper reporters take out your
notebooks and write this down
Here's one career soldier in the
French Army who's for peace
and for Gen. de Gaulle. Write
it down-seven years while we
did all the fighting and the
pieds noirs slept in their beds
I have two little girls that I've
almost never seen. These kids
here - these draftees - ash
them what they think Of this
war"
All in all, the trip to the
countryside around Algiers is
a curiously comforting expert
ence. Back in the towns there
recently has been talk of new
tactics by the terrorist leaders
in the setting up of guerrills
units to carry on the fight
throughout the country.
This part of the country, al
least, would provide a singu-
larly infertile ground for such
an effort. And elements of q
durable peace seem actually al
hand.