The Sterile Struggle

In more than four years of war, Algeria had seen no bloodier fighting. Returning to old-style guerrilla tactics (but armed with new automatic weapons), the F.L.N. rebels struck in bands of 30 or less at isolated French outposts, mined the railway line leading from the Sahara oilfields. Trying to seal off the rebels' supply lines from neighboring Tunisia, the French gave as good as they got. The week's estimated casualty toll on both sides: more than 500 men.

Some hopeful observers, far from the scene, thought that both sides were just getting in good bargaining position for peace talks, and would shortly have something to say.

Last week both sides did say something. At a press conference in Tunis, big, stoop-shouldered M'hammed Yazid, "Minister of Information" in the rebels' provisional government, stepped forward. "We regret to declare." he announced, "that the provisional government of the Algerian Republic does not presently see any prospect for peace in Algeria." Yazid went on to warn off Standard Oil of New Jersey, which had just negotiated oil-exploration rights in the Algerian Sahara with the French. "Our people are not tied by deals concluded with the enemy." warned Yazid, "and consider them an act of hostility toward the Algerian people."

Three days later Charles de Gaulle went on television for his first speech to the French people since he became President of the Fifth Republic. "A sterile struggle still drags on in Algeria." he said. "The war can lead only to useless misery. It must come to an end soon. Why not at once, in the honorable conditions that I have proposed?"

To De Gaulle, "honorable conditions" for a "peace of the brave" are an immediate cease-fire and talks with rebel delegates in Paris* on military matters. But the rebels have an "honorable" condition of their own: they want France to promise independence to Algeria before agreeing to talks. In the eyes of the other, each side was demanding victory in advance, and the fighting went on.

* If unsuccessful with the rebels, De Gaulle at least was able to prevail over his own troublesome generals last week. Sad-eyed General Raoul Salan, No. 1 soldier in Algeria during last summer's settlers' revolt, was made military governor of Paris. Impetuous paratroop Major General Jacques Massu was assigned to a field command entirely divorced from politics.

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