PEYROUTEN’S APPOINTMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 9 February 1943, Page 2

PEYROUTEN’S APPOINTMENT

NO ALLIED PROTEST STATEMENT AT PRESS CONFERENCE London, Feb. 8. M. Marcel Peyrouton’s recent appoinntment as Governor-General of Algeria was approved by both the American S£ate Department and the British Foreign Office, said the United States Minister to North Africa, Mr Murphy, in a Press conference at Algiers. General Eisenhower had the final power of disapproval, but neither the general nor the British and American Foreign Office offiicals, who regarded the appointment as purely an internal French matter, registered the slightest objection. No Allied pressure was being exerted to speed up a complete governmental union between Generals Giraud and de Gaulle, Mr Murphy said. “We believe in giving them time to work out their own solution. It is a French problem, and we cannot force it,” he added. Mr Murphy emphasised that General Giraud requested Peyrouton’s appointment on the ground that he was a capable administrator, knowing North Africa. “We certainly did not jam Peyrouton’s appointment down anyone’s throat.” Mr McMillan, British Resident Minister, who was present, nodded agreement, saying there had been a very healthy improvement in the North African political situation. Mr Murphy revealed that Germans recently arrested the wives of General Giraud and General Bergeret.

The Algiers correspondent of “The Times” says that M. Peyrouten, who was deeply perturbed by the criticisms in the House of Commons and the British Press, recalled in an interview that, following the armistice of 1940, when he was on a special mission to Tunis he broadcast that though France was at the moment defeated her empire remained intact as a guarantee of future revenge. He had also said then that the time had not arrived to take up fighting in Africa, because there were insufficient men and materials in the coun- i try, but that later things would, change, allowing of Allied landings! on a great scale. “PLANNED RESUMPTION" M. Peyrouten, in the interview, added ! that General Giraud’s arrival had | made possible the resumption of the war which, since October, 1940, had been planned by a group of Frenchmen who remained in France for that one purpose. M. Peyrouten said: “I do not wish to be anything more than the administrator of Algiers. I bring my African experience, a sincere desire for a union of Frenchmen, and, above all, complete determination to carry on the war.”

M. Peyrouten proposes to seek the advice of non-political elected bodies and professional men, and proposes to summon for example, a permanent war economy committee composed of former members of the Chambers of Commerce and Agriculture, the correspandent says. This“ Algerian parliament” will discuss and vote upon the Algerian budget. M. Peyrouten admitted that such consultative bodies would not conform to the peacetime idea of representation by popular election, but he pointed out that this is wartime, and said that those who are called in will be selected solely for their ability and efficiency. M. Peyrouten refused, for the same reason to embark upon a purge of his administration on political grounds. “I demand complete devotion to the Allies’ cause, and I shall not hesitate to dismiss recalcitrants,” he said.