851.01/3936: Telegram
The Acting American Representative to the French Committee of National Liberation at Algiers (Chapin) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 10—5:18 p.m.]
1922. From Murphy. With further reference my 1886, June 7,20 PWB informs me of the following incident:
Interior Commissioner d’Astier broadcast over Radio France the night of June 7 an appeal to resistance in which he mentioned de Gaulle as President of the Provisional Government of the French Republic. Radio France sent a recording of the broadcast to PWB with a request that it be rebroadcast over the more powerful United Nation’s radio. PWB did not use it because of the ban against use of the “Provisional Government” term on its facilities. Yesterday morning d’Astier’s office telephoned PWB to ask if his speech was to be rebroadcast and requesting an explanation if it was not. PWB asked my advice about the explanation and I suggested they explain to d’Astier that the Allied radio here could not broadcast anything containing the words “Provisional Government” but suggest to him that his message concerning resistance was after all much more important than terminology in identifying the well-known General de Gaulle, and invite him to make the broadcast without using “Provisional Government” terminology. PWB delivered a message in this vein to d’Astier’s office which has reported back that he has no intention of so doing but has been unable to reach him personally last night or today.
In meantime French quarters made known to foreign press correspondents that United Nations’ radio had declined to carry [Page 704] d’Astier speech and most of the correspondents mentioned fact in their copy filed last night. As an example Harold Callender cabled New York Times:
“D’Astier known here as Minister Interior who has organized resistance was not permitted last night to speak to resistance over United Nations radio here on behalf of ‘Provisional Government French Republic’—although French speakers broadcasting from London by another United Nations’ station, that of BBC, could speak on behalf ‘Provisional Government’”.
Callender added that d’Astier declined to speak when he was not permitted to use that designation.
Repeated to London. [Murphy.]
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