740.0011 European War 1939/7094: Telegram
The Chargé in France (Murphy) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11:45 p.m.]
1114. For the Under Secretary. I have had several conversations with Devinat, Director of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Colonies. He is flying to Dakar this morning, enthusiastic over a scheme which he tells me is personal as yet but which is favored by several men in the Government including Baudouin, to develop an autonomous economic setup in the African colonies. He said that the Marshal himself is, he believes, inclined in that direction.
He envisages a plan which generally would create in the French North African areas a coordinated civilian and economic autonomy, even possibly to the extent of issuing their own currency and dealing with all economic affairs directly without reference to Vichy.
He plans to begin by discussing the matter with the Governor of Dakar. Devinat has also discussed with Alan Arragon of Morgan and Company the question of financing exports to Dakar without reference to Vichy and on the responsibility of the Senegalese authorities locally. He points out that this territory is rich in assets including an annual gold production of $5,000,000.
I believe that with some encouragement Devinat’s idea can be developed. Maybe we have struck oil in that connection.
Devinat said he had no confidence in Weygand as an eventual leader of an autonomous or dissident movement in North Africa. He said Weygand has a military mind which moves in a comparatively narrow groove and in any event he is convinced that Weygand will not continue in North Africa much longer.