VICHY’S BARTER DEAL

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23295, 3 April 1941, Page 7

VICHY’S BARTER DEAL

POSSIBLE BRITISH REACTION

DISCUSSIONS WITH U.S. (Received April 2, 8 p.m.) (U.P.A.) LONDON, April 1. A Washington message says that arrangements for the shipment of American food to unoccupied France are believed by informed quarters to be on the verge of collapse. The British are said to have proof that wqr materials are being sent to unoccupied France on their way to Germany. A British Official Wireless message says that the Minister for Economic Warfare (Dr, Hugh Dalton) was asked in the House of Commons whether the disclosure of the barter agreement between the Vichy Government and Germany, part of which was an alleged gift of wheat, would cause an alteration in the decision to permit two food ships to pass through the British blockade into occupied France.

The Minister said: “The omission by Vichy to disclose the facts about this barter deal when complaining of our blockade will not, I think, redound to their credit. The British Government is in communication with the United States Government regarding this affair. The British Government does not feel able to withdraw the pledge given to the United States that the two ships already navicerted will bo allowed safe passage, but the agreement of the British Government to these two shipments of flour does not imply under the present conditions that it is prepared to issue navicerts for the import into France of other supplies,” Interesting facts and figures about economic arrangements between the Vichy Government and the Axis were revealed by Dr. Dalton. He said that, taking the months of December and January together, figures purporting to be official showed that about 450 vessels with a cargo of about 500,000 tons, entered Marseilles. About 400 vessels with a cargo of 136,000 tons, left. “A large number of reports from a variety of sources leave no doubt that the Germans take the pick of all incoming cargoes which interest them, while the Italians are permitted to take a small picking. “Nearly all these reports indicate that more than half of such imports are taken by the Axis, and many of tte reports put the proportion as high as 80 per cent.”

NAZI INVASION OF BRITAIN

Plans Discussed By General Brooke

(8.0. W.) RUGBY, April 1. The Commandcr-in-Chief of the Home Forces (General Sir Alan Brooke) who directs the defence of the United Kingdom, addressing Canadian staff officers in England, warned them that the possibility of a German invasion still remains.

‘‘lf that invasion takes place,” he said, “it will not only be by infantry, but by armoured fighting vehicles, which are not easy to cope with. The

only way to meet it is with another armoured force. This we are developing rapidly. “The situation is steadily growing much healthier and now you are bringing armoured formations. “It is known that the enemy has been working on gliders, but now we have become so mechanised that I feel staff work is more important than ever before. We need staff officers who will take the initiative and will not be afraid to give their commander advice.’’

LOSSES AT SEA

BRITAIN’S POSITION SURVEYED (8.0. W.) RUGBY, April 1. Although mercantile losses from enemy action in the week ended midnight on March 23, which totalled 59,141 tons, are considerably less than those of the preceding three weeks since the battle of the Atlantic started, naval circles emphasise that it must not be assumed that this great menace to the coming British victory is yet mastered. , , It is freely recognised that losses in the coming weeks may be heavy. This prospect, however, is not regarded as a cause for despondency and it is emphasised in naval circles that the Ser method to assess losses is to / the average weekly figures of losses over a period of months rather than those of individual weeks. The weekly average in August was 84,000 tons, in September 103,000 tons, in October 86,000 tons, in November 80,000 tons, in December 70,000 tons, in January 55.000 tons, and in February 74,000 tons. * For the three weeks of March the average weekly losses were 84,000 tons. The average weekly loss from the beginning of the war, excluding the Dunkirk period, is 65,000 tons. An interesting neutral comment on Britain’s shipping position appeared in the Swedish newspaper Morgonposten,” on March 27. It said: If the losses remain as they are now, they can be entirely replaced by new ships built in Britain or the United States. Commenting on Britain’s losses. Commander R. T. H. Fletcher, Parliamehtary private secretary to the Fust Lord of the Admiralty, said: We can say definitely that at present the sinkings do not appear to be on a scale siifflrientlv high to give Hitler victory.