EARLY SURRENDER PREDICTED

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23053, 22 June 1940, Page 11

EARLY SURRENDER PREDICTED

• Marsha] Pelain, in a broadcast Announcing that he had asked the enemy to end hostilities, said: “I took this decision with the stout heart of A soldier, because the military situation imposed it. The request for an Armistice was inevitable from June 13, ■ “The blow surprised you, but I am Igoing to give you the reasons for it. jOn May 1.-1917, we still had 3.280,000 arien under arms, in spite of three years ■ Of murderous fighting. Gn the eve of the/present battle we bad 5000 fewer. iWe had 35 British divisions and 42 Afiieiican divisions in 1918. The inferiority of our material in this war *\vas even greater than 'the inferiority, of our .effectives. French aviation fought at odds of one to six. We will learn a lesson from the battle which has been lost. “The spirit of pleasure prevailed over the spirit of sacrifice. After our Victory in the last war, the people demanded more than they had given and they wanted to spare themselves effort. To-day misfortune has come. “I was with'you' in the glorious days. As head of the Government. I will remain with you in the dark days. Stand by me, , The tight continues. It is for France." A Havas Agency report from Tunis states that the elected representatives of the French population of Tunisia sent the following message to Marshal Petain: “Tunisia cannot be dissociated from France. We desire to help defend' France and the French Empire fcy all possible means.” . “Fight to the Finish”, Leading members of the French polony in Cairo passed a resolution protesting against negotiations with fGermany, and- demanding a fight to (thefinish. The French colony in London unanimously passed a resolution expressing ■tfheir determination to continue the , at the side, of Great Britain ■until final victory has been achieved. The French community in South gica has sent a cablegram to M. irun describing a separate peace ncompatible with France’s tradition honour. ! The French community in Jugoslavia pas sent a telegram to M. Lebrun beseeching him immediately to break ■■off talks with the, enemy. The French commander in the Middle (East (General Mitthelhauser) has announced that he is determined to |imaintain order, and prevent efforts to ifoment disruption. • The official radio of 'France has (■ordered the French Fleet to report to 'the nearest French or Algerian port to,await orders. The military governor of Toulon, the (French navai base on -the Mediterranean. has announced-that the city [will be defended against all attacks. The civilian population has been ordered not to leave their homes without permission. This order exempts Toulon from the decree that towns of imore than 20,000 would be declared open towns, and thus not liable to attack. The assaults are expected to (start to-day or to-morrow. The French * Government has anpounced that it is leaving Bordeaux, (which it is declaring an open town, in (order to avoid useless destruction. One hundred German bombers attacked Bordeaux Jo the second biggest air raid which France has oxporilenced since the outbreak of war Incendiary and, high-explosive bombs ilell in the city and on nearbv airooris. Docks and shinning suffered severely. There were 100 casualties. _ At least TSO bom*": o'"t}ir>ried in tho city. The Official German N~ws Ae n ncy says that members of the French Government to, Biarritz from Bordeaux. The Bordeaux correspondent of the “Daily, Telegraph” savs that the French Mir'sters voted 13 to lO egainsr Britain’s offer of union with Franco. The British offer, it is reported, still stands. An unidentified radio announcer, speaking in French, stated that the Germans had arrested M. Leon Blum the French Socialist leader, who was at present in a concentration camp. A San Sebastian message says that rthe Polish Government, which was at Angers for several ixnonths. is reported to have transferred ‘to England.

IiDEMONSTR ATION S IN SOFIA

(Repcived June 21, 7 p.m.) SOFIA, June 20. j Three thousand persons participated th revisionist demonstrations, distribu- ■ ting pamphlets and cheering outside the Italian and German Legations. The police guarded the British and French Legations. The Bulgarian Prime. Minister (Dr. Filofl) and the German jMinister m Sofia have signed an agreemerit on cultural relations. Herr Hitler awarded .'Dr. Filoff the Grand Cross of the Order the German Eagle.

(UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) (Received June 22, 2 a.m.) LONDON, June 21. At Compiegne, where Marshal Foch on November 8, 1918, presented to the Germans the Allies’ peace terms, Germany will, at 10 a.m. to-day (Greenwich Mean Time), give the French plenipotentiaries her terms for an armistice. ' $ According to earlier messages, the Official Italian News Agency states that hostilities between France and the axis are expected to cease to-day or to-morrow at the latest. The Official German News Agency states that the French Government nominated as plenipotentiaries General Huntziger, M. Leon Noel, Rear-Admiral Leluc, and Air Marshal Pergeret. The German High Command immediately ordered the reception of the French envoys, and it was officially stated in Bordeaux that the French plenipotentiaries met the German representatives yesterday afternoon. According to a message from Madrid an unidentified radio report states that Marshal Petain resigned after appointing the plenipotentiaries, and M. Pierre Laval was charged with forming a new Cabinet. A report from Rome states that the French Government has asked Italy what views she would take of a cessation of hostilities. The Italian reply was that the Government would reveal Italy’s conditions to plenipotentiaries of the French Government, and would fix the time and place of the meeting.