Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, Africa and South Asia, Volume XI, Part 1

320/2–2053: Telegram

The Consul General at Tunis (Jones) to the Department of State¹

confidential

Tunis, February 20, 1953—2 p.m.

254. Tunis roundup.

1. Residency advises that Resident General has sent Grellet to Tunis [Paris?] for few days to assist Secretary General Pons and Finance Director Fraisse in negotiations for larger slice for Tunisia of French investment plan. Grellet will also discuss election dates and arrangements with Foreign Office. Residency source hinted to us today that caidal elections may be postponed until after ramadan (paragraph 3, Tunis telegram 250)² since time required instruct rural population re voting procedure. Same source said Neo Destour has instructed party members to register for vote but to abstain election day, thus attempting prove that Tunis capable voting but unwilling participate French-imposed reforms.

2. Residency reportedly broadening its contacts among Tunisians who are coming to it in greater numbers with expressions of friendship. At palace Ben Salem said to be advocating accommodation with France and this has led to tension between him and Prince Chedly. In recent speech Tunis audience, Resident General stated native population could only be good friends of France if they were first good Tunisians. Comment: This is good line.

3. Residency intelligence chief admitted today that resumption bomb incidents source concern and that police have caught red-handed only one bomb-thrower who said unknown man had given him 500 francs to carry parcel which resulted in deaths two children (Tunis telegram 233).³ Pressed on point whether police had succeeded in establishing link between bombings and Communists (paragraph 3, Tunis telegram 252),⁴ source replied “we are without proof”. He said also that while regular Tunisian Communists hold meetings and write letters, their activities innocuous. Residency refuses them exit visas to attend Communist conferences abroad, invitations to which are mailed here mostly from Prague and Vienna.

4. Same source said investigation Hached murder stalled.

Jones

1. This telegram was repeated to Paris, Cairo, London, Algiers, Rabat, Naples, and Tripoli.
2. Supra.
3. Jan. 19, not printed. It reported on incidents of violence during the previous weekend and said the hypothesis of the Residency was that the Neo-Destour and UGTT leaders had forbidden terrorism but their discipline was inadequate to halt it. (772.00/1–1953)
4. Feb. 16, not printed. It contained another report on violence in Tunis. Paragraph 3 said the current theory was that the incidents were the product of Communist exploitation of inexperienced members of the Neo-Destour, whom the party was unable to control. (772.00/2–1653)