851R.01/537: Telegram
The Consul General at Algiers (Wiley) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 25—7:30 a.m.]
697. From Murphy. The French National Committee’s reply to Giraud’s memo of April 1 (see my 549, April 3) has been published in the Algerian press April 23.10 The Catroux mission informs me the full text was made available to the Embassy in London before Catroux’s departure. I assume it has been communicated to you.
The main differences of principles now seem to be the following, according to the National Committee’s proposals:
- 1.
- The central authority must have the equivalent of ministerial functions and exercise control over administration. The governors, et cetera, of the various territories will carry out its instructions instead of sharing responsibility for the direction of general policy.
- 2.
- The military command must be subordinate to this central authority.
- 3.
- There must be a consultative body along the lines proposed in the National Committee’s memorandum of February 23.11
- 4.
- The Departmental administrations in liberated France must not be set up by the military but must be under central authority.
Catroux further explains that he has proposed a form of joint dual responsibility to be exercised by Giraud and de Gaulle, who would both preside over the deliberations of the central council and accept joint responsibility for its decisions. They would countersign decrees and make appointments jointly.
Precedence between the two at meetings of the general council would be determined by the subjects under discussion. Catroux feels that only through the exercise of this joint responsibility can the question of personalities be eliminated. He is hopeful that agreement in principle can be reached on these proposals in order that a meeting between de Gaulle and Giraud can be arranged without delay. He feels it should not take more than about 10 days for the discussion of the outstanding differences.
In a conversation with General Eisenhower 2 days ago, the latter informed Catroux that he would welcome the de Gaulle-Giraud meeting at the earliest possible opportunity to ascertain his views. I shall do so shortly after his return, which is now scheduled for tomorrow, and will telegraph you further.
Whereas the tone of the reply tends to place Giraud in a defensive position, and looks toward the creation of a strong central organization having a civil character and leaving less freedom of choice to the people of France (see my 645, April 19, 10 a.m. [p.m.]) it, nevertheless, seems to us that the importance of securing some form of unity must be the principal consideration at the present time, provided no government is set up outside of France to impose its will or system. Without this unity, and in some measure because Giraud is still hesitant to eliminate the remnants of Pétainism in the Army and Navy, his position is being weakened without an early agreement which would preserve the main lines of his proposal. It would be better in my opinion to leave settlement of some questions until after unity has been achieved rather than to delay the Giraud-de Gaulle meeting until all points are agreed.
Furthermore, in the absence of such unity, the extreme elements of both factions are taking advantage of the delay, which is not generally understood, to claim that the Allied Governments, and in particular the U. S., are opposing this unity in order that a strong France shall not be revived, and thus interfere with decisions on postwar policy. The persistence of any such contention will in the long [Page 101] run have unfavorable if not dangerous results upon the future of Franco-American relations.
For these reasons I feel that at this time we should consider these discussions as essentially French in character, reserving the right, however, in agreement with the British Government, to insist that any conclusions which involve more than unilateral French action must be discussed with the Allied Governments before the eventual program which will require some degree of recognition by us becomes effective. There is no doubt in my mind that unity will be achieved in some form. When it is, it should not be made to appear that it was brought about at the expense of our position, and our approach to any eventual united French organization on questions of Allied interest should, if possible, be made jointly with the British Government.
These questions will be further discussed at the next meeting of the Political and Economic Council of April 26 and if necessary, further recommendations submitted.
To Department, repeated to London. [Murphy.]