Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 1943. DE GAULLE AND GIRAUD.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 88, 23 January 1943, Page 2

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 1943. DE GAULLE AND GIRAUD.

According to a French writer in New York there is a movement to appoint General Catroux president of a special board which is to endeavour to reach an agreement between General de Gaulle and General Giraud. It is to be hoped that agreement will be reached speedily because recent happenings in North Africa have not made for that close co-operation which is essential to whining an early vicThe pooling of the prestige of these two national leaders in a provisional administration to direct the French war effort, as anticipated by Mr MacMillan (British Minister in North Africa) would be a long step forward. Ihe combination would be strong enough to stand unshaken by “certain house-cleanings” that most certainly are necessary and to furnish a rallying point for the French national spirit. De Gaulle was never able to mobilise all French elements around his standard, but de Gaulle-cum-Giraud promises a broad basis of universal appeal. Apart from the political aspect, agreement should be immediately valuable in the military sense. Forces that adhere to de Gaulle have reached the sphere of Giraud s operations in southern Tunisia. The manoeuvres of both forces would be more effective if co-ordinated and, when they meet, .they should be able to join hands as Frenchmen fight ing in a common cause. Similarly all the French forces would fight better when freed from conflicting loyalties or political distractions. A larger hope is that the closing of the ranks in the colonies will inspire a movement for unity iri France herself and at the same time provide the Unquestioned leadership that France has so conspicuously lacked.