740.00112 European War 1939/2825: Telegram
The Consul General at Algiers (Cole) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 7—6:15 a.m.]
227. Your 127, June 5, noon. From Murphy. Department’s 125, June 4, 6 p.m., was received before I was aware of Monick’s conversation. In accordance with the instructions contained therein I immediately called on Governor General Chatel1 at 6 p.m., June 5. He suggested that we convey in Weygand’s personal cipher the gist of the Department’s message regarding resumption of the economic plan to the General in Vichy. To this I agreed. Chatel, who said that the Department’s message was the worst blow to Darlan that could be administered, declared that the information would enormously strengthen General Weygand during the Vichy conversations. Darlan [Page 368] and his clique, he said, have consistently maintained that French Africa would never receive any benefits under the plan of economic cooperation which, according to them, was simply an Anglo-American hoax to deceive Weygand into making concessions to us. The fact that there has been so much delay and uncertainty in the plan’s execution supported their view, strengthened the German position in French Africa and likewise discouraged the Anglophile element. That discouragement, Chatel asserted, is also reflected among the Arab leaders in Morocco who have believed that the United States, for which country they have great respect, would see the wisdom of insistence on the establishment of a strong American commercial position in French Africa with all its political implications for the future. With reference to the penultimate paragraph of the Department’s 125, during my first conversation with Weygand on my arrival I discussed with him the proposed extension of economic aid to French West Africa as outlined in Department’s 122.1a Weygand said he was completely in accord with the proposal but he agreed to let the matter go over until the doubt regarding the execution of the North African accord was dispelled.
Weygand is expected to arrive in Algiers June 7th. My plan is to await his arrival before returning to Casablanca. Subject to the Department’s approval, six of the vice consuls mentioned have been directed by me to proceed here for work in Algeria and Tunisia.
Repeated Vichy. [Murphy.]