Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-20
TRUCE IS NOT PEACE
Paris Feels Uncertain Calm

PARIS. Mar. 2o.-There is
no dancing in the streets on
this first day Of peace in
Algeria.
Flags were UP in Paris when
the signing OF the cease fire
was announced yesterday, Civ
ing the city q festive appear
ance. They celebrated. how
ever, not the return Of peace,
but the visit of President Fran
co.'s Tombalbaye OF Chad. The
flags have since disappeared.
The end Of seven years of
war has brought no sense Of
victory. In the immediate
aftermath there IS for many q
feeling Of anticlinaax and even
Of shock.
Independence Accepted
In their minds, most French
men have long accepted Al
gerian independence As m
evttable and. have fervently
looked forward to the end Of
the war.
But the actual fact Of the
cease fire and the publication
Of the terms Of the agree
Taent reached with the Algerian
rebels reused mixed emotions.
President de Qaulle's off,
ciaI notification Of the cease
fire. read In Parliament today,
aroused no enthusiasm among
assembled Deputies. "One had
the impression Of attending Q
funeral" commented O gov
eminent supporter afterward,
when actually. it amounted to
the birth Of the Algerian ma
ton"
Apart from newspaper head
lines and noisy debate in the
National Assembly, passionate
expressions Of opinion are rare.
The average Partisan today is
going quietly about his BUSH,
ness. And II he has anything
to say at all 1t is likely to be a
mixture Of relief, resignation
and uncertainty about the
future.
DR.. George 0allup's French
polling counterpartS, to be sure,
have come up with some quick
answers. According to the first
nationwide survey, 81 per cent
Of the people approve the sign
ing Of the cease fire, against 3
per cent who disapprove and 10
per cent with no opinion.
Since yesterday rowing re-
porters and televisiCn camera.
men have been busily conduct
ing scores Of street interviews
In which the overwhelming {
majority back the governments 1
action. (
Answers SIN Sought !
Such surveys Are slightly Sus- {
pect, since both the pollsters {
and the television industry here !
are semi-official agencies and !
the government y already well c
launched on It's campaign of
rallying public opinion for the
April . referendum. Most OBJ
servers here expect the govern ]
ment 70 pile UP b majority inll
this vote In the neiehborhood
Of 30 per cent. II
On other questions, however,
there Is . good deal less
unanimity. |;
Whether the Secret Army !
Organization viii succeed in
frustrating the plans Of the
government, whether lasting /,
cooperation between France
and the Algerian rebels Is pos
sible, whether the Algerian
problem win remain frances
central preoccupation for ali
long time 10 come-on these ,
everyone from Gen. de Gaulle
to the humblest taxidriver Is
carefully hedging his bets.
Above all, the thought that ,
the cease fire 10 not peace,"I
endlessly repeated In official
statements and newspaper edi- ,
torials, makes for q mood Of
uncertainty.
DeGaulle Reflects Mood
Gen. de 0aulle reflected this
mood In his message to Par
Lament today. mo one," he ,
warned, can ignore the Diff
ficulties Of application which
arise today and threaten to
arise tomorrow. not only in
regard to the condition Of
many people and many things
but also In the domain Of
public order and the security
Of the state"
And since no one Is ignoring
this danger-but rather brac-
ing himself for troubles that
are sure to ccme-there is
little to rejoice about for the
time being.
Real peace In Algeria de-
ponds now not on an agree
ment with the Algerian rebels,
but between Frenchmen them
selves. And this peace, I'M
happily, Is still far from being
won. Il