IN FRENCH PRESS

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 48, 25 August 1945, Page 7

IN FRENCH PRESS

TRUMAN ASKS SQUARE DEAL

WASHINGTON, August 23. President Truman told a group of French correspondents covering General de Gaulle's visit that he hoped they would begin to give the United States a square deal in the French Press, which it had not had so far. The Frenchmen were obviously taken aback, says the Associated Press. Diplomatic sources later professed puzzlement about what President Truman had in mind, but recalled that there was some comment in French newspapers which tended to minimise United States relief activities and criticised the handling of lend-lease. [American newspapers revealed during the liberation of France that the people of that country were not being given the facts about the transportation and supplies which the U.S. was furnishing.] President Truman told American Pressmen that he had had a pleasant two-hour talk with General de Gaulle last night, covering all questions of mutual interest. ~ , A member of General de Gaulle s party revealed that General de Gaulle was highly pleased with the results of the preliminary talk. . . The Foreign Economic Administration is reported to have approved a loan to France through the Export and Import Bank of 20,000,000 dollars. The question of Indo-China is also believed to be on the agenda of the discussions. A French official said trjat General de Gaulle was very optimtistic about the American view on IndoChina, which, it is reported, favours returning Indo-China to the French Administration as soon as possible alter its liberation.