TOUGH POLICY IN ALGERIA

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27917, 14 March 1956, Page 13

TOUGH POLICY IN ALGERIA

Approval Given By Assembly (N.Z Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) PARIS. March 13 The French Government was today given au hority to go ahead with strong military action against the rebels in Algeria. The National Assembly, in a session ending late last night, passed by overwhelming majorities the four votes of confidence which the Prime Minister (Mr Guy Mollet) had asked for on the bill giving the Government extraordinary powers to cope with the situation in the territory. In the final vote, the bill as a whole passed by 455 votes to 76. In the most complete demonstration of unity and patriotism the Assembly has seen for a long time, only the Poujadists and a few Right-wing Con■eryatives voted in opposition. i’he Council of the Republic, the Upper House of the French ParliarPenl’./s expected to start considering the bill today, and the second reading in the National Assembly, making the bill law. is expected on Friday Mr Roger Lacoste. the French Minister in Algeria, is known to have everything ready to declare a state of emergency there and act accordingly by Saturday. This is as far as the Government can go in the way of suspending peace-time constitutional safeguards without declaring a state of siege which would transfer final power from (he civi] authorities to the commander-m-chief. A French division from Germany will be in Algeria by the end of the month and more reinforcements are expected to follow in accordance with a policy of showing the flag everywhere and giving the maximum pro tection to French settlers and loyal Algerians