STILL A BELLIGERENT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 186, 21 May 1941, Page 5

STILL A BELLIGERENT.

VIEWPOINT of free french.

STATEMENT ISSUED IN LONDON

(United Press Association—Copyright.) LONDON, May 19.

General de Gaulle’s headquarters in London have announced: “On the occasion of the agreements recently concluded between tho Vichy Government and Germany and in anticipation of repercussions these agreements may have on the interests of France and the attitude adopted towards her by other States, General do Gaulle and tho Council of Defence of the French Empire consider it necessary to briny the following remarks to the attention of the British Government and to tne chiefs of the Allied Governments and foreign diplomatic missions in London. “First, the Vichy Government, by reason of the armistice, has placed itself in a position which deprives it of all independence in regard to the invader.

“Second, this same Government has seized power and completely changed French institutions without in any way consulting the French people, whose representatives have not been ablo to express their opinion in elementary conditions of freedom and dignity.

“Third, since this usurpation, tho Vichy Government exercises power without any check by the French nation, which has not got the faintest possibility of being heard, since twothirds of the country is occupied hy the enemy and one-third—under enemy control—is subjected to a regime of complete silence. “Fourth, according to the so-called constitutional texts which have been arbitrarily substituted for the French constitution, the source'of the authority of the Vichy Government lies exclusively in the person of an old man of~S5, who, for many years, has been known to ho enfeebled hy age. Vichy Has No Sovereignty. “Fifth, if' follows from these facts that tho Vichy Government is not in a position to exercise the prerogatives of French sovereignty and has no right to do so. In particular, the measures it is taking in collaboration with the invader, are neither free'nor legal. “Sixth, where French citizens have had the possibility of making their real feelings known, the vast majority have manifested a desire for Franco to continue tho war. This is the easo in all territories of the Empire which have been free from Vichy—and in all foreign countries—in spite of severe punishments inflicted hy Vichy at tho order of the invader on those who continue tho struggle. “Seventh, General dc Gaulle and the Council of Defence of the French Em-, piro, whoso authority is freely recognised throughout all French territories already liberated from enemy control, who represent the real feelings of their fellows citizens and who by every means in their power will ensure tho fulfilment of treaties and engagements subscribed to by France, cannot and must not bo responsible for the acts supposedly, committed in her name by the rulers who have usurped power and who of their own accord have subjected themselves to the enemy, thanks to the military defeat suffered by her armies when fighting for the common salvation of free nations.

“The French nation is continuing the war by means of all her military forces and territories outside the'control of the enemy and should, therefore, still be considered as a belligerent nation by all States and as an ally by those States who fight our common enemies.

“The French nation docs not at present and will not in future recognise any infringements of her territorial right committed by any State in tho world owing to and taking advantage of the situation in which she has been placed by her enemies and the usurpers acting under the enemy who claim to rule her'.”—British Official Wireless.