War Against Communism

High Cost of France’s War Against Communism Tahiti’s New Secretary- General Speaks Out

Monsieur t. h. diffre arrived in Papeete, Tahiti, from Paris on July 9, as new Secretary General and Deputy Governor of French Oceania. M. Diffre suc ceeds M. Gaston Sully, who was withdrawn to Paris in June.

Madame Diffre will join her hus band in the Tahiti capital in August, travelling from France by the new MM liner Tahitien.

M. Diffre was active in the Re sistance Movement under General du Gaulle, and served in the Bth Army at Bir Hakeim and elsewhere under General Koenig. He was awarded the Legion of Honour and the Liberation Cross. He has cently been Chief of Staff to the Minister of French Overseas Terri tories, and prior to that, Technical Adviser to the French Premier on Overseas Territory problems.

En route to his new post, M.

Diffre, in the United States and again in Fiji, made a plea for a greater appreciation by English speaking peoples—especially those in the Pacific —of the enormous, and

perhaps unappreciated, price that France is paying in the fight against Communism in the Far East.

The English-speaking press, pre occupied with the war in Korea, tends to overlook the struggle that continues in Indo China, he said.

For France, World War II has never ended. Month by month thousands of young Frenchmen are dying in that struggle, and the financial burden is tremendous.

When people return from a brief visit to Europe and speak adversely of the reconstruction in France as compared with Germany, let them remember what a fortune in treasure and lives is being poured out over seas by' France, M. Diffre said.

Let them remember, too, he con tinued, that beneath the surface game of party politics in France there is plenty of stability. It is perhaps not appreciated that since 1944 there have been but two French Foreign Ministers—and both of the same party. The French political system is very different to that of England, Australia or New Zealand.

Even when a government resigns the same Ministers carry on with their jobs until a new government is established. There is no inter ruption to programmes of public works, etc., which have been approved by a retiring government.

While in Suva, M. Diffre paid a courtesy visit on the Governor, Sir Ronald Garvey.