851.01/2121: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Consul General at Algiers (Wiley)
946. For Murphy. Further to our 940, May 13,31 reports reaching us during the past week from London and elsewhere indicate that the delay in the meeting between Giraud and de Gaulle is working more and more to the latter’s advantage, thanks in large part to the effectiveness of his propaganda organization. The announcements concerning the French Council of Resistance (London’s 3369, May 1531) and the National Committee’s stand against abrogation of Cremieux decree (London’s 3377, May 1531) are cases in point. With regard to latter the importance is obvious of putting into immediate effect the procedure which has been under examination since mid-March whereby native Algerian Jews may again acquire French citizenship.
We are reliably informed that the British are now primarily interested in an early agreement between Giraud and de Gaulle in order that they may get rid of the entire Carlton Gardens organization and ship it to Algiers where the problem of dealing with them will be placed on our doorstep.
We learn confidentially from member of Giraud Military Mission that Giraud sympathizers in Algiers report strong swing to de Gaulle among younger men both in and out of the army based largely on [Page 119] Giraud’s failure to make adequate personnel changes particularly in the higher ranks of the armed forces and civil administration.
In the circumstances we believe that there is no time to be lost, now that the Tunisian battle has been brought to a successful conclusion, in pushing forward long awaited reforms of a political character.