DE GAULLE AND GIRAUD

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23976, 17 June 1943, Page 5

DE GAULLE AND GIRAUD

ATTEMPT TO SETTLE DIFFERENCES COMMITTEE TO MEET IN ALGIERS (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON, June 15. A message from Algiers says that General Giraud and General de Gaulle to-night met General Catroux. General Giraud. it is reported, acceded to a proposal made by General de Gaulle that a full meeting of the French Committee of National Liberation should be held to-morrow. This was the first meeting between General Giraud and General de Gaulle for some time. The Algiers correspondent of the ‘‘Daily Telegraph” says; ‘‘What may frankly be described as the final attempt to resolve the disagreement between General Giraud and General de Gaulle over the reorganisation of the French Army will be made to-morrow. General de Gaulle late to-day decided to ask for a meeting of the Committee of National Liberation, which will be held to-morrow afternoon.” The correspondent adds: “Apart from the deplorable effect on France of the generals making themselves the laughing stock of world opinion by failing to agree, every further hour intensifies partisan feeling. It is obvious that the country is ruled by a body which is continually adjourning on the ground of the personal prestige of its presidents.” ‘‘Earlier hopes of a compromise bebetween General de Gaulle and General Giraud have been dashed with the news that General Giraud has now refused to accept General de Gaulle’s plan for the reforming of the Army and the definition of his and General Giraud’s authority,” said an earlier message from the Algiers correspondent of the Exchange Telegraph Agency. "The deadlock is now complete. After General Giraud’s rejection of General de Gaulle’s plan to meet General Catroux, General Georges. M. Massigli, M. Monnet, and M. Philip, and discussed the impasse, but General de Gaulle refused to attend. General Giraud declined an invitation to lunch with General Catroux and General de Gaulle to-day.” Another earlier dispatch from Reuter’s correspondent in Algiers said: “The situation has grown worse. Depression deepened in political circles when it became apparent that reports of a provisional solution to the deadlock were not borne out. General de Gaulle and General Giraud appear equally determined to maintain their own viewpoint, but they dare not stage an open break because of the effect upon France and because the British and American military authorities in North Africa would then possibly intervene. "Some ‘camp followers’ of both sides are fanatically partisan and it might be a good thing if the two generals could be temporarily removed from their influence. Earlier to-day it was reported that intermediaries had worked out a compromise plan which General de Gaulle substantially accepted and Giraud also accepted. It is understood that the compromise entailed the appointment of General Giraud as Commander-in-Chief of the French Armed Forces, and General de Gaulle as Commis.sioner of Defence, which is equivalent to War Minister, with both appointments subject to the authority of the National Committee." The committee to-day called on all Frenchmen inside and outside France to celebrate next Friday as the anniversary of the start of the French movement for liberation. FRESH CHINESE SUCCESS TOWN CAPTURED ON YANGTSE FRONT (Rec. 7 p.m.) CHUNGKING, June 15. The Chinese have gained a fresh success, ■ throwing the Japanese back along the Upper Yangtse river front. ; The Chinese have captured another town 60 miles below the main Japanese base at Ichang. Half the enemy ; garrison was wiped out. Fighting is in 1 progress for Sinyang, on the PeipingHankow railway. ( A great number of Japanese military personnel and civilians were killed by ■ a time-bomb explosion in a Japanese theatre in Shanghai. OPERATIONS BY U.S. SUBMARINES ACTIVITY STEADILY GROWING ; (Rec. 7 p.m.) NEW YORK, June 15. : American submarine production was very satisfactory, said the United States Secretary of the Navy (Colonel P. Knox). The United States had already replaced many times over the eight submarines lost so far. There was a steady growth in submarine activity against the enemy. Colonel Knox added that the Allies expected to reduce the submarine menace in the Atlantic to a point where Allied losses would be negligible. U.S. SHORTAGE OP CRUDE OIL STATEMENT BY MR ICKES ] (Rec. 8 p.m.) WASHINGTON, June 16. < “The crude oil shortage is such that ] the United States is rapidly passing • from an exporting to an importing t nation,” said the United States Secre- 1 tary of the Interior (Mr Harold L. Ickes) at a press conference. “The i nation by the end of the year will not i be producing enough crude oil in Cali- ( fornia to meet the needs of the Pacific ] war theatre and civilian needs in that 1 area,” i Mr Ickes added that the shortage was 1 not because oil wells were running ‘ fry, but because of the shortage of i manpower and transportation. „ i “MACARTHUR for ! PRESIDENT ” j “ CHICAGO TRIBUNE ” ! REPORTS MOVE \ ;Rec. 8 p.m.) NEW YORK. June 16. . A group of Republicans in Mil- i waukee (Wisconsin) have launched a « ‘MacArthur for President” campaign, c •eports the “Chicago Tribune.” The i newspaper says that the group has ( idopted the slogan, "Make Mac Arthur < Kommander-in-Chief and the, first t President from Wisconsin.” Although c Seneral Mac Arthur was born in Arkan- ( ;as, his family lived in Wisconsin for i hree generations. He was educated in t Milwaukee. t

ALLIED AI& ATTACKS IN BURMA (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, June 16. British aircraft yesterday continued their attacks on the Japanese on the Arakan front in northern Burma. Enemy stores, transport, and troops were attacked, from the forward areas back to Akyab. An important enemy storage building was demolished, A New Delhi communique says: “American bombers yesterday attacked a railway bridge over the Mu river, in north Burma. Hits were scored, and railroad installations were also bombed. Other targets included railway workshops, buildings, and trucks at Mayroyo. All the aircraft returned.”