The French "Provisional Government"
_ A dignified debate on foreign policy in the French Consultative Assembly in Algiers closed with what is described as an unexpected resolution that the Committee of National Liberation should hence- forth be called the " Provisional Government of the French Re- public," and General de Gaulle did not demur when addressed in words which introduced the new title. If this resolution is accepted by the Committee, there is no sufficient reason why the Allies should object.. General de Gaulle was tactful when he reminded the Assembly that Governments with the burden of carrying on the war had had the right to ask " Where is France? " They had and indeed have the right and the responsibility of making sure that any organisa- tion acting on behalf of France is acceptable to France and qualified to represent it. The future cannot be prejudged, but at the moment the unquestionable fact is that the Committee, with the Consultative Assembly behind it, closely in touch with the internal resistance movement and in effective command of important armed forces which are distinguishing themselves in battle, is the one and only French organisation with which the Allies do or can co-operate. What- ever name may be given it, it is already a provisional Government, and to deny it that title would be pointless and ungracious. There are certainly some emigre governments, officially recognised, which have a far less assured claim to the title. When France is liberated only the French people can decide what their Government will be, and that is agreed in Algiers. But when the Allies enter France it will be in co-operation with Frenchmen under the command of the Committee, and the Committee on French soil must function as the French executive—in other words, as the provisional Government.
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