DE GAULLE'S APPEAL TO THE REBELS

Excerpts from Premier de Gaulle's press conference invitation to the Algiers rebels:

THE organization you refer to [the Algerian rebel F.L.N.] started the fight on its own initiative. I leave the future to determine what this struggle will have served, but in any case now it serves nothing. Surely they can, if they want to, continue outrages, set up ambushes on the roads, hurl grenades in marketplaces, sneak into villages at night to kill a few unfortunate people. They can hide in mountain caves, go in groups from djebel to djebel and hide arms in rock crevices to use when the opportunity arrives. But the outcome is not there. Nor is it in the political dreams and eloquent propaganda of refugees abroad.

However, I say unequivocally that most of the men of the insurrection have fought courageously. Let the peace of the brave come and I am sure that all the hatred will fade away. I speak of the peace of the brave. What does this mean? Simply this: let those who opened fire cease fire and return without humiliation to their work and their families. The old warrior's procedure, long used when one wanted to silence the guns, is to use the white flag of truce. And I say that in this case the combatants would be received and treated honorably.

As for the outside organization which strives to direct the struggle, I repeat openly what I have made known. If delegates were designated to negotiate the end of hostilities, they would have only to address themselves to the French embassy at Tunis or at Rabat. They would be assured of complete safety, and I guarantee them the freedom to depart.

Now certain people say: What are the political conditions which the French government would be willing to discuss? I reply: the political destiny of Algeria is Algeria itself. Opening fire does not give a man the right to determine that destiny. Personally, I think future solutions will be based, because that is in the nature of things, upon the courageous personality of Algeria and upon its close association with Metropolitan France. I believe also that this ensemble, completed by the Sahara, will link itself for the common good with the free states of Morocco and Tunisia. Sufficient unto the day is the burdensome evil thereof. But who will win out in the end? You will see that it will be fraternal civilization that wins.

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