STORMY SESSION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 3 July 1943, Page 5

STORMY SESSION

FRENCH NATIONAL COMMITTEE AFFAIRS IN ALGERIA SUPREME AUTHORITY TO GENERAL CATROUX London, July 1. The French National Committee of Liberation, after a stormy four-hour session granted General Catroux supreme authority over all French affairs in Algeria. The Exchange Telegraph Agency’s correspondent says General Catroux, as Governor-General of Algeria, is now solely responsible to the National Committee and to General Giraud for all measures taken during the state of siege, thus surmounting recent difficulties apparent in the administration of public security. The Committee, under the presidency of General de Gaulle has appointed further members to the committee of six which will carry out reorganisation of the French armed forces. New members are Vice-Admiral Collinet, Rear-Admiral Audineau (naval representatives), and General Bouscat (aviation representative). M. Pierre Cournarie, who has been General de Gaulle’s GovernorGeneral of the French Cameroons since November, 1940, has been appointed to succeed M. Boisson as Governor-General of French West Africa.

General Giraud’s visit to the United States, which was expected early in July, has been postponed, says Reuter. No new date has been fixed.

General Giraud’s brother, Dr Georges Giraud, who recently escaped from France, when interviewed by the Associated Press of Great Britain at Algiers, said: “People in France are neither Giraudist nor de Gaullist. They are anti-Boche. I am sadly surprised to find here questions of personalities. In France unity against the enemy is absolute.” Dr Giraud said he hid five months from the Gestapo in France. —P.A.