Free France?

The initial indignation of democrats all over the world about the hoisting of the senescent General de Gaulle into the French premiership, seems to have subsided. I trust this does not mean we now accept him as being not as bad as he might be. We must remember that he is there solely because of the blackmailing activities of the militarist clique that runs Algeria—the same clique that has just last week called for a "Corporative State" in France. De Gaulle cannot remain independent of the brigands who put him in power. His woolly talk about "integration" and "equality" for Algeria is amply clarified by his hysterical cry, "Vive I'Algerie francaise!" What the Algerians want, and in justice should have, is independence. The de Gaulle Government's suppression of all voices in France favouring independence for Algeria, is extremely sinister. The Communists, be it noted, are, no doubt in response to some double game of Khruschev's, being very quiet about Algeria. But the Radical journal "L'Express" and the independent left-wing "France-Observateur", have been subject to repeated police interference and censorship, because of their consistent, and correct, line on the question.