D'argenlieu

At Casablanca With de Gaulle

THERE is news, and a lack of news, concerning Rear-Admiral Thierry d’Argenlieu, High Commissioner for Fighting France in the Pacific.

It was officially announced in Papeete on November 20 that the High Commis sioner was “departing from the Colony”; but there was no word of his destination.

But in January, when General de Gaulle went to Northern Africa to meet the new High Commissioner there, and iron out some of the serious differences that existed between the original Fight ing French organisation, based in Lon don, and the new organisation of the belligerent French, based in North Africa, it was formally announced by the BBC that General de Gaulle was accompanied to Casablanca by, among others, Rear- Admiral d’Argenlieu, High Commissioner in the Pacific.

It was fitting that this great French man should be present at so important a moment in the history of France. Not only has he been at General de Gaulle’s right hand, ever since de Gaulle declared against the Nazis in June, 1940, but he also was associated with de Gaulle’s abortive attempt, made a few months later, to rally French West Africa to Free France. D’Argenlieu, on that occasion was wounded at Dakar.

On this occasion, he has had the satis faction of seeing steps of first-class im portance taken towards the ultimate rehabilitation of France. Many of the differences separating de Gaulle’s follow ers and the North African Frenchmen were removed at Casablanca.

There has been no indication of when the High Commissioner will return to his headquarters at Noumea.

Henri Sautot, who was local Governor at Noumea when d’Argenlieu first arrived, is now Governor of one of the Fighting French colonies in West Africa