France: Surpassing Himself

In 15 press conferences studded like black pearls through his nine-year rule of France, President Charles de Gaulle has often enough demonstrated his unique mastery of the power of negative thinking. Last week, in Press Conference No. 16, he surpassed himself. "In 100 minutes," as Paris Le Populaire tidily summed it up, "General de Gaulle in the name of France called for secession of French-speaking Quebec in Canada, tossed England out of Europe, threatened the Common Market with destruction, called the U.S. the principal enemy and suavely knifed Israel." But the...

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