FRENCH DEADLOCK

Waikato Times, Volume 132, Issue 22063, 14 June 1943, Page 3

FRENCH DEADLOCK

IGNORANCE IN ALGIERS APPEAL BY COMMUNISTS DEEDS, NOT PROMISES (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. copyright) (Received June 14, 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, June 13 There has been no further meeting between General de Gaulle and General Giraud, though both have been in contact with other members of the French Committee of National Liberation, particularly General Catroux. Three additional members of the committee have arrived in Algiers from London. They are M. Pleven, |M. Dietholm and M. Tixier. Another member, M. Bonnet, is on his way from America. Twenty Communist Deputies who have been released from prison have issued a statement expressing uneasiness concerning the deadlock. “France wants deeds,” they say. “The French people have had enough of personal power, autocracy and tyranny. They no longer want a Fuehrer. They want a republic—a 1 rejuvenated, better constructed, and more democratic republic. For the good name of France it is essential to translate immediately into deeds the solemn promises made by the committee.”

Reuter’s Algiers correspondent says it is difficult, for the outer world to realise the seclusion of Algiers. It must be remembered that the Algiers public generally is entirely ignorant of world opinion. The atmosphere resembles the complacency in which France lived early in 1940. Press censorship, to which is attributed much of the blame for the downfall of France, continues in Algiers. Blank spaces in newspapers are filled up with drawings. Censors, who often are the same as under the Vichy regime, continue to follow the same principles. Not a line of world press comment on the present deadlock has been allowed to appear in the local press. Not a single despatch sent by British and American correspondents has been reproduced in Algiers. The public lives in a news vacuum and has no idea of the feeling aroused abroad by Vichy’s subservience to Hitler. Reuter continues: One unsatisfactory feature of the present position is that as far as can be ascertained no sanctions were taken against men who were already in positions because of their anti-AUied activities. They apparently returned to the Army and continue to draw pay. General Bergeret, who was relieved of his command as a result of his anti-Allied activities, draws pay as a general M. Peyrouton has asked to rejoin the Army as captain. No one raised objections. Broadcasts by Generals

General de Gaulle and General Giraud broadcast United Nations’ day messages from Algiers.

General de Gaulle said: “United France takes its place beside the British Empire, America, Russia and other Allies, and turns to friends for support in arms. France is determined to subordinate everything to the war of liberation and renovation.” General Giraud said: “The Tunisian victory is a great United Nations victory. I express the gratitude of France to the British and American soldiers, New Zealanders who turned the Mareth Line, Australians of the desert battle, South Africans, the Eighth Army, and the sailors of all the Allied navies. The French colours are again flying at the side of those of the United Nations. Thus it will be to the very end—to the supreme moment when the enemy is crushed. “They will go on to Rome, to Berlin, to Tokio.”