European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 18, 1967, Darmstadt, Hesse                              Degaulle is the Aura dimming by George Siberia up staff writer age and changing times have combined to reduce the once towering stature of Charles de  continue to live and work in the tall Shadow of de Gaulle 27years after he raised the Cross of Lor Raine Over the prostrate body of his nazi Defeated nation. As president of France de Gaul Estill is the nation s dominant and most dominating figure. But today nine years after he returned to Power to save France from a threatened civil War Thede Gaulle Aura glows less brilliantly. Abroad among allies such As Britai nand the United states he is mistrusted by officials and castigated by Public opinion As a rude overbearing would be Strong Man. At Home political opposition is increasingly outspoken. For the first time since he burst onto the world scene with his no surrender Appeal to frenchmen on june 18, 1940as the founder of the free French move ment there Are indications that Gaul list and the nearly 77-year-old de Gaulle himself Are falling prey to nature s inevitable Laws of age and change. Much of the magic seems to have worn off the old master s Granite like figure. French newspapers gravely Dis cuss gaullist in the past tense. They Are busily sizing up the chances of the growing pack of would be heirs. Knowledgeable diplomats in Paris say they can hear rumblings of a new France to come a France with Degaulle off the stage forever. The questions being insistently asked in embassy Cha Ceries Are has France already moved into a transition period heralding the demise of gaullist will the final changeover be smooth or will France have to go again through one of her frequent agonies before begetting new government Many bluntly say France without de political observers Are speculating on a France without de Gaulle. Gaulle will be a better France. All agree it will be a changed France. A political storm is blowing in France and is Likely to burst full out soon after the National Assembly re convenes oct. 2.opposition deputies will assail the president for his Vive Quebec Libre cry during his Canadian visit in the summer which seriously damage French Canadian relations and has been bitterly criticized by the opposition at Home. Similar remarks in Poland set off Hullabaloo in West Germany. The opposition still is Seething Over his insistence that his government be Given decree Powers to push through its economic and social program. De Gaulle s former finance minister Valery Giscard d Estwing is threatening to withdraw the support of his 44 National Assembly deputies from the Gaul list coalition unless the president relaxes his one Man Rule. Both big business and labor Union deeply resent a personal project of de Gaulle a a Law obliging All firms with More than 1,000 employees to share profits with them. Both labor unions and Farmers plan anti government protest demonstrations this fall. De Gaulle s confidants say the presi Dent is fully aware of the irrevocable March of time. They say the old Gen eral is worried that the individualistic streaks of frenchmen s natures eve Caesar spoke of the gallic people As a fickle volatile populace May prove stronger than his ceaseless appeals for Unity. Hunted by the memory of Days past when France was being mocked As a country divided into 40 million French men de Gaulle went on nation wide Tele vision aug. 10 with an Appeal designed to conjure up the ghost of past internecine divisions. As is True of almost everything he says these Days it created bitter com ment in much of the press a so what response in the rest. In fact both France and the world at Large have been shocked in recent months by de Gaulle statements which have been condemned by some As Monu Keystone daily Magazine Georges Pompidou. Preferred successor monday september 18, 1967 up Francois Mitterrand leads the opposition up Valery Giscard d Estwing t. Threatens pullout the stars and stripes mental blunders by others As deliberate affronts. In addition to his Vive Quebec Libre remark repeated and re emphasized after he returned Home to France there also was his condemnation of Israel Asan alleged aggressor in the israeli Arab War and his abrupt shutting of of All arms deliveries to Israel. De Gaulle s military walkout from the North Atlantic treaty organization and expulsion of All . And other Allied forces from France also were bitterly resented not Only among his allies but among Many frenchmen too. In appearance the advancing years hardly show on the French Leader who has outlived the other great actors of world War ii Winston Churchill Franklin d. Roosevelt and Joseph Sta Lin. His face looks slightly More lined. Paunch is now clearly evident especially in military uniform. But he still stands ramrod straight As in the Day when he commanded a tank division in Eastern France in the hot summer 27years ago the Only tank unit to hold its own against Hitler panzers. His doctors say that since a 1965 pros Tate operation de Gaulle has been in consistently Good health. One disability is his eyesight which has been troubling him for years and for which he has had at least two Cataract operations to avoid partial blindness. Because of his bad eyes a bodyguard stands one step behind de Gaulle each time he has to walk up or Down a staircase to make sure he does not fall. His champions insist he is still Sharp mentally on All subjects. They forcefully reject press suggestions that de Gaulle s Long live free Quebec outburst Wasa lapse. Presidential advisors say they Are stunned by the ease with which the Gen eral assimilates and analyses the mos Complex technical problems. His Mem Ory is claimed to be infallible and news men can testify that de Gaulle continues to speak in Public without notes after memorizing his texts. One explanation for de Gaulle s seem ing abruptness in recent years some Call it rudeness comes from close aide who say he is growing increasingly irritable and impatient because he is a Manin a hurry. He has called old age in Nau Frage a Shipwreck. Pressed bythe inexorable flight of time associates say he wants to cast France into gaullist Mold so firm it will survive him indefinitely. Political opponent agree this is his goal and they say it is a dangerous one. De Gaulle is called an egomaniac by some observers. He reportedly thinks of himself As a combination Joan of Arcand Louis Xiv who has been striving since world War ii to make France modern and powerful nation rebuilt in the image of its past glory. Like Joan of arc the National French heroine and Saint the French general believes he has been trying to Liber ate France from All outside  must be herself is a Kev Mot to. De Gaulle v i t a s International questions As one ceaseless struggle of rival nation states. Thus he May publicly profess his admiration for British resilience tradition and stability. But bearing in mind Britain s continued larger economic and International influence he does t want Britain in the european common Market where it might put France in the Shadow. He voices admiration of the unite states and salutes american accomplishments but he Speaks out bitterly against european subservience to Washington. France once Chin deep in debt chiefly to Washington now Lias paid Back Allbut $100 million in easy to repay for eign Loans. But de Gaulle Lias tried to pare Down the world influence of the . Dollar launching a Campaign for continued on i age l1 Page 11