Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Western Europe and Canada, Volume XXVII

16. Telegram From the Embassy in France to the Department of State¹

Paris, February 21, 1956— 4 p.m.

3771. Part I of Mollet interview.² I paid courtesy call on Mollet and we had 40 minute talk, half of which was devoted to North Africa, covered in Part II this message. I gave Mollet best wishes of President and Secretary Dulles and told him that we had been much impressed by his investiture speech.³ Mollet said he had been tremendously pleased during his visit to Washington⁴ last fall to find how similar his views of world situation were to those of US Govt and he asked me to tell Secretary that his views remained same as those expressed last fall. He said that he had had very bad luck with cold spell, which coming on top of increased expenditures which he would have to request for economic development of Algeria would make things very difficult. He said he had been very touched by President’s intention to help European countries suffering from cold spell and asked if I had heard anything from Washington on subject. I told him that we would be glad to help and told him that we would be in touch with Quai d’Orsay to see if there were any practical methods in which we could be of help along line of circular 575.⁵

I said our Consul General Tunis⁶ had reported a great deal of suffering in Tunis but we had been somewhat hesitant to take action there as we did not want to do anything that would appear to indicate that French were not capable of doing job. Mollet replied it was most important that if anything should be done in Tunisia it be done through French.

Mollet then talked about his domestic program and said he was forced to take certain social steps to avoid giving Communists propaganda advantage. These would be limited to his three point program of three week vacations, reduction in zone pay differentials and increase in old age pensions. He would stop there and do everything possible to protect franc as he had horror of inflation.

I asked him about cooperation of Communists and Socialist deputies in National Assembly. Mollet said that would continue as long as procedural matters, such as invalidation debates continue. He said Communists had been very clever and we must remember that he had taken 20 of best brains in Socialist party into his Govt and therefore they were not available on floor of Assembly which considerably reduced power and ability of Socialist group. However, he said that once matters of principle come up for debate it would be obvious that there was serious break between Socialists and Communists as had already been apparent during course of his speech on Algerian question. He said he dreaded debate on Barange law⁷ but that he intended to limit action strictly to repeal of this law and not allow other anticlerical measure to come to vote. In great confidence he told me that once Barange law is repealed he intends propose creation of nonpartisan commission to make basic study of whole problem of educational subsidies along line of what was being done by Paul Boncour commission at time Barange law was passed in 1951.

During course of conversation Mollet several times remarked on close affinity of views between his Govt and US Govt and finally said it would give him great deal of help, particularly at this time, both in France and in North Africa if Secretary could make some sort of public affirmation of sympathy for, and understanding of, France and especially his Govt and its policies. He said he realized that US did sympathize with what he was trying to do but that Communists were busy spreading rumor that US was opposed to his Govt because it was Socialist Govt and also rumor that [we?] were not in accord with his Algerian policy. In view of this request which Mollet repeated twice, and which was not made lightly, I hope very much that Secretary can say something along these lines at a press conference before he leaves for Karachi.⁸

Mollet summed up his feelings by saying that while situation both in France and North Africa was very difficult he had unshakeable faith in triumph of good over evil. He was satisfied that he and his Govt stood for what was good and right and that despite difficulties they would find a way through.

Dillon

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751.00/2–2156. Secret.
2. Part II of the Mollet conversation is in telegram 3770 from Paris, February 21. (Ibid., 751S.00/2–2156)
3. Mollet’s speech of January 31 was reported to the Department in telegram 3414 from Paris, January 31. (Ibid., 751.00/1–3156)
4. A memorandum of Mollet’s conversation with Herbert Hoover, Jr., on September 12, 1955, is Ibid., 033.5111/9–1255.
5. Circular telegram 575 to all NATO countries except Canada and Iceland instructed Ambassadors to estimate damage caused by the cold wave and the means by which U.S. aid should be provided. (Ibid., 800.49/2–2056)
6. Morris N. Hughes.
7. This law extended State aid to Roman Catholic schools.
8. Secretary Dulles attended the second meeting of the SEATO Council in Karachi, March 6–8. The Secretary did not make a statement on U.S. policy toward North Africa, but on March 20, Ambassador Dillon addressed the Diplomatic Press Association at Paris and discussed this policy; see Document 21.