DE GAULLE URGES WESTERN EUROPEAN UNION

Chronicle (Levin), 8 March 1948, Page 5

DE GAULLE URGES WESTERN EUROPEAN UNION

(N.Z.P.A.—

-Reurer

General's Early Return To Power Predicted

Ccwurtaht)

Received Monday, 10.35 a,m. LONDON, March 7. General de Gaulle today called for an economic, diplo™ matic and strategic union of Western European states to. counter Russia's "bjfd> for world domination." Speaking at dompiegne to a public. rally, General de Gaulle said that sueh a union would unite a population of 250,000,000, and should include Germany, He advoeated "precise and explicit" American support for Europe in de™ fence as well as economic recovery.

The lightning stroke in Prague was the flnal warning to Frenchmen of Russia's aims, continued General de Gaulle. "Franee is threatened from without by the expansion of the vast Russian empire and undermined from within by separatists serving these foreigners. The free states of Europe must form an economic, diplomatic and strategic bloc, combining their production, trade and external policies, arid their means of deferjce. To France is due the duty and dignity of being the centre of the bloc, having as its ' arteries the North Sea, the Rhine and the Mediterranean. Numerous reasons, particularly economic, call for a better understanding with Germany." General de Gaulle declard that as far as it lay with him, all was ready for him to assume leadership of the country, His return to power was subject to conditions enabling him to bear the responsibility adequately. Reuter's. Paris correspondent sayS political observers there have predicted that General De Gaullemight well be back in power within six weeks. Sources close to General ° de Gaulle said the conditions that the General mentioned involved the hoiding of new Parliamentry elections. It is believed that contests between General de Gaulle and all the other parties exeept the Communists are aimed at a dissolution oi Parliament.