Tortured Parting

The time had come for a parting of the ways. Pierre Mendes-France wrote to his friend Guy Mollet, the Socialist Premier of France: "Any policy that ignores the feelings and the misery of the native population leads, step-by-step, to loss of the Algerian people, to loss of Algeria itself, and finally, inevitably, to loss of all our possessions in Africa."

Mendes-France was leaving the government, after four months as a frustrated junior partner. He added: "I should like at least that my resignation should have the effect of a new. anguished appeal for the government to take the necessary decisions, however difficult they may be." Mendes (who was himself brought down as Premier last year over North Africa) was convinced that Mollet has never been the same since his trip to Algiers last February. There Mollet had been pelted by irate French colons, and in Mendes' view he had since given top much weight to their demands for repression arid too little to matching this suppression with a dramatic-enough program of political and economic reforms for the Moslems.

In France's time of crisis, Mendes' going was sad, full of mutual regret and surrounded with an uneasy sense of foreboding. Mendes made it clear that he was acting only for himself, insisted that the other 13 Ministers from his Radical Socialist Party remain in the government. "I think that the government that is now in power represents the best possible political formation," he said. "With all my heart, I wish [Mollet] success."One angry Socialist accused Mendes of "a low blow." Emotionally, the usually icy-calm Mollet defended him: "No! You don't have the right to say that," he cried. "He's sincere. He's a tortured man. His sentiments are worthy of respect."

Mendes seemed ready to return to the political isolation in which he had wandered for so many years. He has made no secret of his belief that the Fourth Republic will collapse within months, intends to stump the country in favor of a recast constitution.

After Mendes' resignation, Mollet countered by scheduling a debate and vote of confidence on his government's policies. He is given a good chance of surviving, largely because no one else is eager to inherit so unpromising a situation.

Almost unnoticed in the uproar over Mendes' resignation, India's Prime Minister Nehru took a hand in France's Algerian troubles. Speaking to the Indian Parliament, Nehru called on both sides to adopt a ceasefire. After that, he suggested, the French government should recognize "the national entity and personality of Algeria ... on the basis of freedom," and enter into direct negotiations with the rebels. Since Nehru has considerable influence in the Arab-Asian bloc, Frenchmen noted gratefully that he had refrained from backing the rebels' demand for "independence," and had further urged "recognition that Algeria is the homeland of all the people in Algeria, irrespective of race," i.e., of one million Frenchmen as well as eight million Moslems. Nehru's proposal got no immediate response, but then, as one Indian government official remarked, Nehru was only trying at this point "to play the anthem and see who salutes."

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