FRENCH COMMITTEE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 150, 26 June 1943, Page 5

FRENCH COMMITTEE

IMPORTANT STEPS TAKEN Rec. noon. LONDON, June 25. The French Committee of National Liberation took a step of far-reach-ing political significance today when it drew up a decree annulling a decree passed by the Daladier Government on September 26, 1939, which outlawed ! Communism in France and dissolved the Communist Party and all Communist organisations. Reuters Algiers, correspondent says that the new decree has not yet been formally passed. There are at present 26 Communist deputies in Algiers who were sent to North Africa from France under detention. Their full civil rights are now restored, but their position as Deputies is not yet clear. The Committee also annulled' all trials and penalties imposed for acts committed, in the ..service of France since July, 1940, and restored to office all officials who were dismissed, pensioned, or degraded for national activities., or because of measures imposed by the enemy. - . ■ All penalties imposed by Vichy on public officials are thus cancelled and they are now restored to their positions. The Committee also formed a special office for Alsace-Lorraine with a consultative council of natives of Alsace-Lorraine attached to it. There is now a large number of refugees from these provinces in North Africa, The correspondent states that complete harmony prevailed at the meeting. Morocco radio, announced that General de Gaulle presided at the plenary session of the Committee today after the arrival in Algiers of M. Bonnet, Commissioner for Information.