NOT CONSULTED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 January 1943, Page 4

NOT CONSULTED

GENERAL DE GAULLE OVER THE APPOINTMENT OF PEYROUTEN POLICY OF THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT. CRITICISED SHARPLY IN NEW YORK. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.55 a.m.) LONDON, January 20. According to the British United Press, General de Gaulle was not consulted about M. Peyrouten’s appointment as Governor-General of Algeria, and would not have approved it if he had been.

The “Daily Herald’s” diplomatic correspondent says it is suspected that the United States State Department was swayed by M. Peyrouten’s suave assurances and persuaded General Giraud to appoint him. The correspondent adds that Laval stated that Peyrouten was the first Frenchman to introduce Nazi methods to North Africa. A few months later Peyrouten turned against him and had Petain dismiss him.

Outspoken criticism of the State Department’s handling of the political field in North Africa is voiced by the New York “Herald-Tribune’s” commentator, Mr Walter Lippmann. He describes the American Minister (Mr Murphy) as a man.lacking in detachment, who would readily take on the political colours of those with whom he associates. Mr Lippmann adds: “The time has come to cease misleading the American public by pretending that the political situation, which is our entire responsibility, is muddled because of what has been said in London. The control is in Washington and a decision must be made there to send a political representative of sufficient calibre to cope with the situation.”