PIERRE LAVAL DISMISSED

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23204, 16 December 1940, Page 7

PIERRE LAVAL DISMISSED

VICHY CHOOSES NEW FOREIGN MINISTER

CHANGE FOR “MOTIVES OF INTERNAL POLICY”

(V.VITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) (Received December 15, 9 p.m.) LONDON, December 15. The Vichy Government announces (hat M. Pierre Laval, its Foreign Minister and Vice-Premier, has been dismissed. M. Laval is succeeded as Foreign Minister by M. Pierre Etienne' Flandin. !

The announcement says that the change has been made solely from 1 motives of internal policy. I This is taken to mean that public opinion against M. Laval, who has been striving for complete co-opera-l

tion between the French and the Germans, has become so bitter that his presence in office is regarded, as a menace to the Vichy authorities; and probably the Germans have agreed that M. Laval has become so hated that he is useless for their designs. M. Flandin is a former Prime Minister. He distinguished himself at the time of the Munich Agreement by sending a telegram of congratulation to Herr Hitler. He is not likely to be acceptable to the French people. A clause in the recently-adopted French constitution providing for M. Laval to be Marshal Petein’s successor, has been cancelled, but there is no provision for M. Flandin to succeed Marshal Petain. Marshal Petain, in a broadcast, said that M. Laval was no longer part of the Government, because of ‘ the interest of the country.” Marshal Petain added that the policy of the Government towards Germany was unchanged. He also said: “I have taken this decision for reasons of internal policy. I remain at the helm. Our national revolution continues.” A Zurich message says it is reported that M. Laval was arrested after a Cabinet meeting, apparently on the eve of his departure for a conference with Herr Hitler. A New York message says that the National Broadcasting Company’s reporter (Mr Max Jordan), broadcasting from Basle, said that M. Laval had

been placed in the Vichy gaol. He added that M. Laval was ousted because he attempted to persuade Marshal Petain to accept Germany’s latest peace offer in return for the cooperation of the French Navy against Britain. Marshal Petain refused, according to Mr Jordan, and M. Laval was forced to quit when he tried to put pressure on Marshal Petain.