WOULD CRUSH REACTION IF CALLED TO POWER-De Gaulle

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22758, 2 October 1948, Page 5

WOULD CRUSH REACTION IF CALLED TO POWER-De Gaulle

(N.Z.P.A. —Reuter—Copyright.) (10.30 a.m.) PARIS, Oct. 1. General de Gaulle indicated that if he were called to power by the people, he would not hesitate to crush any reaction opposing the “will of the people.’’

He was speaking at the first press conference lor 10 months. Asked if there would be a general strike in the event of his gaining power. General De Gaulle said: “Would it be tolerable for anyone to oppose the will of the people? If such a position did come about, could anyone hesitate to crush such reaction?” Asked whether, if the separatists (Communists) formed a Government, he would react in a manner not necessarily legal. General de Gaullee declarsarilv legal, General de Gaulle declarGovernment his rally would be utterly freed from legalities. He added that he did rot think that things would develop in Paris as they did in Czechoslovakia. Things would pass progressively towards dictatorship if allowed. “How London and Washington v/ou 1 - 1 react to that I cannot say,” he added. "That is their business.” Four-point Policy. General de Gaulle emphasised the following points: 1. He hoped for early general elections. but reserved his attitude if an ‘illegal situation” developed in France. 2. He planned a foreign policy based. on making. France the keystone of Western Evrope’s defence. 3. He urged the establishment of Western Germany based on a federation of individual German States which might later become an all German federal un : on.

4. He favoured European unity in order to make Europe a common economic unit. He said the Western democracies had a duty to aid France’s recovery. “If the powers that can be described as free want France to remain one of them, they must make an effort which they have not entirely made so far.” Defence of Europe

General de Gaulle cr iticised the creation of a five-Power General Staff for Britain. France and the “Benelux" countries headed bv Field Marshal Lord Montgomery. “The defence of Europe must be centred in Europe, not in an island separated from Europe,” he said. “I mean no detraction of our old friends, the British or Field Marshal Montgomery. but it is inefficient to base European defence in London.” General de Gaulle said that if he returned to power there would be no change in France’s foreign policy, because France at the moment had.no foreign policy or any kind of policy. “I would not change our policy, I would make one,” he added.