Fifth Republic Seen Spilt By Endless Algerian War

An associate professor of Government said last night that President Charles de Gaulle's way of "governing in the grand feudal manner" hasn't done much to compensate for the disintegration of French political institution caused by the Algerian war.

Stanley F. Hoffman, speaking to a gathering in the Krikland House Junior Common Room on "The Fifth Republic and the Algerian war," warned of ever-increasing political instability in France because of growing discontent among rightist army elements.

He maintained that de Gaulle has failed to strengthen military and popular allegiance to the state because he has appealed to the people as a personality while regarding the army "with more contempt than sympathy."

"The people are tired of fighting, the army is tired of retreat," he said. Gaullist tactics aimed at ending the politically divisive Algerian war have not yet improved matters. "Peace isn't much nearer, and the tragedy most certainly is," he said.

Granted Concessions

De Gaulle has gradually granted the Algerian National Liberation Front (FLN) every concession it has sought and more, but in return has sought and more, but in return has attempted to get the revolutionaries to grant him a few "extremely vague face-saving devices" so he can maintain the support of the French electorate, declared Hoffmann.

The problem is that the FLN is confident it will win independence and control of Algeria whether it negotiates a peace with De Gaulle or not, and is determined not to grant the various "paper concessions" de Gaulle now seeks in order to save face. The revolutionaries, said Hoffmann, want the credit for having brought France to terms, while France wants peace "with honor."

Concessions on independence, the Sahara, and control of the economically rich area where Frenchmen live, have all been made, he said, with France only demanding guarantee of protection for the French citizens there.

But the concessions have not worked. So de Gaulle has resorted to threats, first one involving creation of a their force in Algeria to take over from both French and FLN interests, and now the threat of partitioning Algeria into French and Moslem sections.