U.S. RELATIONS WITH FRANCE

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27441, 30 August 1954, Page 11

U.S. RELATIONS WITH FRANCE

1 “Valued Friend And ’ Ally” 1 Otoe. 8 p.m.) NEW YORK, Aug. 28. 1 Ito “New York Times” said today ffiat ft would be “stupid and politically taapral to turn on France now, or to < retard her as anything but the valued i mend and ally she has always been.” 1 In a leading article on the French ] crisis over the European Defence Com■unity, the newspaper said that “hav- < inf seen some striking examples of ’ roftirians at work in this election year in our own country,” Americans should ■ not be too harsh with the spectacle of some French politicians “putting poli- i tics first and the best interests of the 1 nation second.” „ This is not to deny that the E.D.C. < ■ a subject of passionate >and sincere debate in France,” said the “New Fork Tinies.” . “But this is a debate among dis- : futants whose minds were made up Mng ago ” The newspaper said that “a determined .onslaught” by Mr Mendesfcance, the French Prime Minister, adcht have brought some lukewarm gpcnents over to the positive side, but a® had refused to lead. Urging continued friendship with ®e French, the “New York Times a weak prance meant a weak “An isolated or resentful France •hat went in for neutralism or tried to fbatruct the rearming and reintegrahen of Germany in the Western community would create a situation made to order for the Russians,” the newsWer added. “we had to fight Germany twice in this century to save ourselves and the tree world. It is unthinkable that the United States could now turn away from France in order to embrace GerJnany—and it will not be done. At the same time, France must not s*ak® the process of co-operation too difficult. For 27 months she has progjfctinated on a European Army Treaty proposed by herself and *®®nded to suit her demands. w now she rejects her own offspring it is up to her to bring for*ntd, or to support, a substitute.”

Killed By Fire From Own Side

®*c- 8 pjnJ NAIROBI, August 27. _Four African policemen were accidentally killed last night by a gUtapie, whose foot slipped while he yta lying a bren gun on Mau Mau taiurists. a Government spokesman ■s’n Nairobi today. JJJte spokesman said a police and jffltery patrol had engaged 25 Mau fita terrorists in the north Nycri area *55 of Mount Kenya. w *ta gunner was ordered to fire from «e rear of a one-ton police lorry. His *oot slipped on a petrol can, and a •fream of bullets hit the policemen. No terrorists were hit in the action. Three days ago seven Kikuyu fiards were wounded when their party of 11 was accidentally ambushed “Ta Kenya Regiment patrol, and more Aikuyu guards about eight miles firth-west of Nairobi. ~ x -The ambushed party was said to tave been patrolling the area without

Reinforced police squads guarded the entrances to the Palais Bourbon. < were the Deputies meet, and patrolled the surrounding streets. Opponents of the treaty, ranging from the Communists on the extreme •_<eft benches to the de Gaullists on the extreme Right, greeted Mr Moch with prolonged applause when he paid a tribute to Mr Edouard Herriot, the veteran Radical statesman. Mr Herriot, Speaker of the Assembly in the post-war years, was sitting in his Deputy’s seat for the first time since the war, ready to join the debate as an opponent of the treaty. There were cries of protest when Mr Moch referred to outside pressure forcing France to take a decision on the treaty. » Appeal for Calm The Speaker, Mr Andre La Troquer, broke in to try to restore order. He had appealed for calm and dignity at the start of the debate. “Please be self-controlled,” he shouted at the Deputies. “Try to listen without passion and without interruption.” Mr Moch’s report, which had been adopted by the Foreign Affairs Commission by 24 votes to 18, was the first of six from various Assembly commissions against the treaty, which will be presented to the Assembly. ,Mr 'Moch, who represented France on the United Nations Disarmament Committee, said no vote was “so heavy with consequences” as the one by which the Assembly would authorise the President of the Republic to ratify the treaty. No vote had troubled the conscience of the Deputies to such a degree since the national assembly of Vichy France in 1940, he said. Parliament’s decisiort, favourable or hostile, posed “an agonising question to every Deputy,” Mr Moch declared. Referring to German rearmament under the treaty, Mr Moch claimed that the treaty’s limitation of the .German contribution would not be effective in times of crisis. “Two years after ratification, Germany could put 30 to 40 divisions in the field against half that number for France,” he said. He said the E.D.C. was “apparently only designed for -times of peace, rather odd for a military organisation. The E.D.C. will disintegrate in times of grave crisis or war.” Mr Moch criticised the attitude of the five E.D.C. nations towards Mr Mendes-France during the Brussels conference. “Mr Mendes-France’s qualities did not receive their jost recognition at Brussels. We were faced with a courteous but rigorous coalition —a foretaste of what would happen to us if we entered the E.D.C. system.” There was uproar on the pro-E.D.C. Popular Republican benches when Mr Moch complained about the Brussels conference and his speech was held up for some minutes. On the international situation Mr Moch noted that the two pacts and thd presence of Allied forces in Europe were an assurance against a “military walkover.” . Any act of aggression would be the start of a world war, which no-one wanted. “Lessening of Tension”

He believed there had been a lessening of tension since 1950. The contacts made at Berlin and Geneva and United Nations disarmament talks gave hope of “fruitful results.” “I make no mistake about the disappointment which the Assembly’s vote will cause to France’s allies. “But how can the clearly expressed will of France be ignored? “German rearmament by bilateral agreement, or through N.A.T.0., has been mentioned. . “The Allies can make no decision without French agreement.” Winding up his speech Mr Moch offered this choice to the Assembly. “Vote for the E.D.C. and no further participation in the work of the Disarmament Commission which will be made superfluous, and resign yourselves to an unlimited armaments race. Or, taking account of an evolution towards a certain lessening of tension, reject any German rearmament and explore the roads to disarmament. The British Ambassador to France, Sir Gladwyn Jebb, listened intently. With him in the diplomatic gallery was the Soviet Ambassador, Mr Serge Vinogradov, a representative of the United States Embassy, and East European and West German diplomats.

Attitude Of Holland

(Rec. 8 p.m.) THE HAGUE, Aug. 28. The Dutch Foreign Ministry today denied reports that Holland was willing to make new concessions on the French proposals for amendments to attitude has not changed since the Brussels conference. The Government is waiting for the course of the debate in the French Parliament,” the spokesman said.

Indonesia’s Claim In New Guinea

(Rec. 10.30 p.m.) LONDON, August 28. Tass. the Soviet official news agency, said yesterday that the United States had “hinted" that it would be prepared to “consider sympahetically Indonesia’s claim to Dutch New Guinea, if Indonesia would be wilbng to join the military Hoc in South-east Asia. Tass did not elaborate on this statement which it made in a general news summary on; South-eart Asia. Dutch New Guinea remained with the Netherlands after the tranrter of sovereignty of the former Dutch East Indies to the New Republic of Indonesia in December, 1949. Indonesia formally asked this month G. Australian Minister of External Affairs, said Australia would any move to have the dispute referred to the United Nations.