18 MARCH 1966, Page 9

Forward to Sedan

With scrupulous courtesy and a proper sense of the historic importance of what he was about, President de Gaulle's letters to President John- son, Mr. Wilson, Chancellor Erhard and Presi- dent Saragat, announcing France's withdrawal from NATO, were all written in the General's own hand. The story in the chancelleries is that in the letter to Dr. Erhard, de Gaulle wrote 1869 for 1969 (when the treaty comes up for renewal) throughout. Those Prussians may attack any day now.