Free France In The South Pacific

South Pacific

From Our Own Correspondent

Noumea, Dec. 6.

INTERESTING political and economic developments are reported from the Free French Colonies in the Pacific.

Generally, it may be said that they now have settled down quietly under the Free French Administration, directed from London through High Commis sioner d’Argenlieu, in Noumea; that their trade (especially the large and growing metals production of New Caledonia) is being divided between Australia and United States; and that all the French South Pacific Colonies are co-operating completely with the ABCD Powers in fighting Japan in the Pacific.

Only a few days before the outbreak

of war with Japan, Commandant d’Argenlieu announced the completion of a new organisation, designed to meet the possible war situation in the Pacific.

Commandant d’Argenlieu is now High Commissioner for Free France in the Pacific. He directly governs the islands of Wallis, Futuna, etc., and France’s share of New Hebrides; but New Cale donia and French Oceania (Tahiti, etc.) are under separate Governors, who are responsible to d’Argenlieu. Henri Sautot remains Governor of New Caledonia, but is not High Commissioner. Many people will not like Free France’s treatment of the very staunch and loyal Sautot; but war exigencies may have created situa tions to justify what has been done.

“We must be prepared for every even tuality,” said High Commissioner d’Ar genlieu, in a radio broadcast to New Caledonians, on December 5, in which he extolled “the bloodless substitution of the government of Free France for that of Vichy on September 19 last year, in spite of the presence of the gunboat ‘Dumont d’Urville’ and her guns.” He added, in giving cordial greetings from General de Gaulle, that what struck him as the most profound feeling in the Col ony was the patriotism of its people, particularly those of the bush, and their attachment to France.

Reviewing the war, the High Commis sioner paid a sterling tribute to Britain, Russia and United States, and explained that the object of his mission was to fortify the authority of Free France in the Pacific and to put in hand all means of defence against possible attack — which might come soon. “I bring you military aid, both in experienced officers and in material,” he said. “Despite what has already been accomplished there is still much to do.”

“As I was preparing this broadcast,” he continued, “a long message from General de Gaulle informed me that, in view of the Pacific situation, the need for perfect co-ordination and to assure continuity and cohesion of Free French policy, the Comite National has decided to confide to me all questions concerning the Pacific, with the title of Commis saire National and delegate for the Pacific. New Caledonians will realise how great is the task entrusted to me, and my need of your support.”

Trade With America

Governor Sautot has received a letter from M. Louis Dieu, president of the Tropical Trading Company Inc., New York, which has been formed with the approval of Free French headquarters in London, to act as a trading house for the French Colonies which are rallied to de Gaulle. The letter states that the company offers New Caledonia the same advantages already availed of by French Equatorial Africa.

Uneasiness expressed by the Noumea Chamber of Commerce at the lack of US dollar exchange, in spite of New Cale donia’s mineral exports to the USA, is the subject of a letter from Governor Sautot, who explains that he has approached both the Free French Gov ernment and the exporting companies in order to obtain the dollar exchange due.

A sum equal to about 20 per cent, of the amount due has already been released to allow importers to buy much-needed goods and it is hoped that a further distribution may soon be made.

At the same time, Governor Sautot draws' the attention of local merchants to the fact that US dollar exchange must always be reserved for the purchase of utilitarian articles which it is impossible to find in countries belonging to the sterling group. Dollars not indispensable

to local economy are earmarked for the needs of the Allies’ war effort.

The letter adds that the local clearing house, owing to the sale of nickel matte, is now in possession of a considerable sum of Canadian dollars. If the efforts now being made to change these into US dollars are unsuccessful, it is sug gested that importers may find it oppor tune to obtain their requirements in Canada.

Yate Smelters For War

Purposes

It is understood that negotiations are under way for Broken Hill Proprietary Company Ltd. to take over the hydro electric smelters at Tate, south coast of New Caledonia, for war purposes, and for the duration of the war. In the hinterland are the big unexploited iron fields of the Colony.

The smelters, which can produce up to 22,000 kilowats, have not been working since the amalgamation in 1930 of the Nickel Company and the Hauts Four neaux Company, for as a result of this amalgamation nickel smelting was con centrated in Noumea. The working of Yate by an Australian company would represent a significant extension of war time co-operation between the two countries.

Remarkable Personality

rHE following article, 'published re cently in an American newspaper, describes the remarkable man who has taken charge of Free France in the South Pacific : — THE new High Commissioner is Father Georges Thierry d’Argenlieu, an extraordinary personality, whose fame as a fighting man is almost as great among Frenchmen as his distinc tion as a religious leader.

In peace-times he is head of the French Carmelites—le Provincial des Carmes de Frances —one of the strictest orders of monks, and he has served in both world wars as a naval captain.

After fighting at sea from 1914-18, Father d’Argenlieu, member of a family with an ancient title to nobility, became a Carmelite monk and took the name of Father Louis de la Trinite.

Two of his brothers are in holy orders.

One of them is a well-known Dominican.

A sister of his, who died young, was a nun.

Father d’Argenlieu soon became the head of the Carmelite order in France.

Some of the articles he has written on religious subjects are internationally known.

When the present war broke out he was mobilised and given back his rank as naval commander.

The Germans took him prisoner on June 19, 1940, at Cherbourg, but he escaped four days later from a prison car, made his way to the coast, and thence, with three French naval ratings, to England, where all joined the de Gaulle movement.

For a time thereafter he served as chaplain of the Free French Navy, but he volunteered for the Dakar expedition and went as a commander.

He emerged as the hero of that ill fated sortie when, serving as a chief of the emissaries negotiating with Dakar under a flag of truce, he prevented cap ture of those accompanying him.

He was shot and seriously wounded in the thigh, but, according to an eye witness reporter, “stood erect in a small boat under a hail of machine-gun fire . . . while . . . blood soaked his white uniform . . . and directed withdrawal of the landing party”.

Another wounded by his side at the time was Air-Force Captain Becourt Foch, grandson of the French Marshal.