BRITAINS'S DETERMINATION

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 150, 26 June 1940, Page 7

BRITAINS'S DETERMINATION

Fight For Freedom Will C ifinl"itill#=»•

COLLAPSE OF FRANCE

Fleet Passes To Control Of Germany And Italy

WARSHIPS FULLY ARMED

(British Official Wireless.—Rec. H. 30 a.m.) ' ~ RUGBY, June 25. In the course of a statement in the House of Commons, the Prime Minister, Mr. Winston Churchill, said: "The' House wjll feel profound sorrow at the fate of the great.French nation and people, to whom we have been joined so long in war and peace, and whom we have regarded as trustees with ourselves for the progress of liberal, cultured and tolerant civilisation in Europe. "There is no use or advantage in wasting strength or time upon hard words and reproaches. We hope life and power will be given us to rescue them from the ruin and bondage into which they have been sunk by the might and fury of the enemy, and from other causes. "We hope, however, that the French Empire, stretching all over the world, and protected by sea power, will continue to struggle at the side of its Allies. We hope it may become the seat of a Government which -will strive steadfastly for victory, and organise armies of liberation. These are matters which Frenchmen alone can decide. "We find it difficult to believe that the interests of France and the spirit of France will find no other expression than in the melancholy decisions which have been taken by the Government at Bordeaux. We shall certainly aid to the best of our ability the resources of any movement of Frenchmen outside the power of the enemy to work for liberation from barbarism and for the freedom and restoration of France. ■ r - ; , • Delivered Over To The Enemy. ■■' . '.'What pur relation's will be with the Bordeaux Government I cannot tell. They have delivered' themselves over to the enemy and are wholly in his power. But, relying upon the true genius of the French people and their judgment upon what has happened to them, when they are allowed to know the facts, we shall endeavour to keep such contacts as are possible through the bars of their prison.' "Meanwhile, we must look to our own salvation and effective defence, upon which not only British, but French, European and world-wide fortunes depend. The safety of Britain arid the Empire is powerfully, though not decisively, affected by what happens to the French Fleet." Mr. Churchill next described the events between June 13, when he and Viscount Halifax and Lord Beaverbrook met M. Reynaud, and he had felt bound to refuse his assent to the latter's request for release from France's obligation not to negotiate for a separate armistice and peace until June 16, when the Petain Government was formed.Mr. Churchill disclosed that when M. Reynaud, on June 1 6, declared that the United States' reply to his appeal was inadequate to enable French resistance to continue, the British Government, in view of what France had suffered', intimated that, provided the French Fleet was sent to British ports while negotiations were being conducted, they consented to the French asking for terms. While Mr. Churchill was on his way to discuss this with M; Reynaud the latter was supplanted fay Marshal Petain. Subsequently, the First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. A. V. Alexander, and the First Sea, Lord, Admiral Sir Dudley Pound, went to Bordeaux to urge the. fulfilment of the condition that the French Fleet should' be sent to British ports. Mr. Churchill added: "But everything was, of course, moving into collapse at that time. Many solemn assurances were given that the Fleet would never be allowed to fall into German hands. It was,- therefore, with grief and amazement that I read'article

8 of the armistice terms. From this text it is clear that French war vessels pass into German and Italian control fully armed."

Mr. Churchill referred contemptuously to the German assurance that they- would not be used.