Colonial Governors Arrive

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23349, 7 June 1941, Page 9

Colonial Governors Arrive

U.S. ATTITUDE TO COLLABORATION (united pbess association—copyright.) (Received June 6, 11 p.m.) LONDON, June 6. General Weygand, Vichy’s Delegate-General in North Africa, who has already been in Vichy for some days discussing measures for the defence of the French Empire, has been joined by three other colonial administrators—M. de Boisson, Governor-General of French West Africa, General Nogues, ResidentGeneral in Morocco, and Vice-Admiral Esteva, Resi-dent-General in Tunisia. The United States has made her attitude clear to collaboration between Germany and France. The United States Secretary of State (Mr Cordell Hull) announced last night that the United States Government had informed the Vichy Government that it regards collaboration between France and Germany as inimical to the rights and interests of the United States and other nations. Mr Hull, in response to inquiries by journalists, said it seemed scarcely believable that the French Government should adopt a policy of collaboration with the Axis Powers for the purpose of aggression and oppression. Such an action would not only yield priceless rights and interests beyond the requirements of a harsh armistice, but would place France in substantial political and military subservience. If Vichy had so acted as official reports strongly indicated, it would be utterly inimical to the just rights of other countries as well as to true interests and welfare of the French people. The United States, therefore, was undertaking as speedily as possible to assemble every materia] fact and circumstance calculated to shed light on the alleged course of the French Government.

Mr Hull explained that it had been the policy of the United States .Government to afford friendly and helpful cooperation with France, and the United States had assisted French possessions. Mr Hull said: “We had assured Vichy that we had no other interest than preservation of French ■ territories for French people.” A high diplomat of unimpeachable authority told the Australian Associated Press that Mr Hull’s statement could be Interpreted as being one of the strongest statements issued by the Administration, and was a clear warning to Prance that if she weakly gave way she ►..could not expect to maintain diplomatic . jtffttlons with the United States. failed to heed this warri--1 pgkit might well be anticipated that '<4Mj>ll diplomatic relations would be J.'MtfWn-off within a week. The diplomat added that in such circumstances . it was difficult to believe that relations ■ with the Axis Powers would be maintained,

• Accprding -to the Madrid corres-. pondent of the "Daily Mail,” the French a Ambassador in Washington (M. Gaston ; Heary-Haye) Is reported to have, sent ; Marshal Petaln an urgent warning to go slow in his policy of co-operation with Germany. Mr' Hull is understood to have , warned M,-Henry-Haye of the "dire consequences” which will inevitably follow a French breach of the armistice tehns in favour of Germany. Mr Hull Is reported to have declared that the French Empire could not hope to escape these consequences,'including the complete blockade of unoccupied Prance. Hundreds of letters have been received by the United States Embassy li/Vichy protesting against , French- , German collaboration and pamphlets have been widely distributed in France hy supporters of General de Gaulle. The “Daily Telegraph” says that the i arrival in Vichy of M. de Boisson, is probably a direct result of American Interest regarding German infiltration hi' Dakar. M. de Boisson, who was re- , sponsible for the hostile action taken ■ - at; Dakar against followers of General de Gaulle last September, will certainly asttrt that he has the Dakar situation under control and that the Germans are not seeking to extend their influence thereout reliable information in London reveals that the contrary is the position.

At present there is no evidence of any curtailment of Admiral Darlan’s manoeuvres for collaboration with Germany, but the correspondent of "The Times” on the Frehch frontier, states that General Weygand’s long and private conversations with Marshal Petain, which are continuing, have so far not clarified or simplified the prob-

lem of French and German collaboration on which will depend the final decisions on French and British relations. plans for the Mediterranean are held up and the recent agreement between Vichy and Berlin is still lying on the table. General Weygand has shown a very strong disinclination to take action against General de Gaulle, and he is also opposed to Admiral Darlan’s plans for Syria and North Africa. His opposition arises from military considerations because both the mandate and the colonial populations are overwhelmingly in favour of General de Gaulle. He is also reluctant, from reasons of honour and sentiment, to take up arms against France’s former ally and the United States.