REACTIONS IN VICHY

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23351, 10 June 1941, Page 7

REACTIONS IN VICHY

Petain and Darlan Confer APPEAL MADE TO SYRIANS (Received June 9, 7 p.m.) CU;p.A.). LONDON, June 8. As soon as news of the British entry into Syria reached Vichy, Marshal Petain and Admiral Darlan conferred hurriedly. They described, the British move as an act of hostility against French sovereignty. Marshal Petain immediately afterwards appealed to the people of Syria to fight for the interests of their terri-. tory. This is unlikely to draw much response from the people as the mandatory power had frequently promised them their independence, but without fulfilment.

The Vichy correspondent of the Associated Press of • Great Britain says that a Government statement refers to "this new act of unjustified aggression against the French Empire,” and adds that General de Gaulle’s forces under General Cafroux are in the van of the attack. “There are no German troops in Syria," states Vichy. “All German aeroplanes have left except four which are damaged.” Another report says that Vichy is doing its utmost .to make the maximum use of events in Syria in whipping up anti-British feeling. Marshal Petain, in a message to. General Dentz, resurrects all the bitterness of Otari, Dakar and Sfax, and emphasises the theme of the British causing brothers to fight brothers. ■ He orders all French in the Levant,to defend Syria against “profoundly unjust aggression." This attitude may largely be attributed to Vichy’s desire to bolster popular feeling within France. In

this connexion a British Broadcasting Corporation broadcaster to-night declared ‘‘that we have abundant evidence that the vast majority of the French nation are praying for victory for the cause of General de Gaulle and for' our cause.” • Both Germany and Italy, in announc. ing the invasion of Syria, accused Britai/i of aggression and denied the presence of German troops in Syria. The official Italian propagandist, Signor Ansaldo, said that the Syrian venture was one of desperation. The Axis Powers had foreseen this move, and had‘taken steps to counter it. With typical Axis inconsistency, Signor Ansaldo then added that neither Germany nor Italy was the least interested in what happened in Syria, but later he was concerned to know whether Vichy intended to keep its promise to defend the territory against British aggression. f The- German radio - confined itself to a brief announcement, An Ankara message says that M. Raymond Lacoste, of the Vichy Ministry of Information, who has completed a mission (in Syria and Turkey, announces his resignation on the ground that he is “unable to approve Admiral Darlan’s policy of modifying the armistice terms into an open espousal of a German victory.”

VICHY AND THE NAZIS ■ ■

“HELPING TO ENSLAVE OTHERS” GERMAN HOSTILITY TO UNITED STATES (Received June 9, 9 p.m.) NEW YORK, June 9. The United States Assistant Secretary of War, Mr Robert P. Patterson, in a speech, declared: “The French leaders have become so physically and spiritually bankrupt that they have evidently undertaken to help Germany to enslave others. “The Nazis have not concealed their hostility to the United States and., all we stand for. Some say war with the Nazis is just round the corner. This may be so. This we may be certain of: Hitler will wage war against us the instant it suits his plans. “We must face reality, conscious that there will be sacrifices and that we, may have our measure of blood, sweat, and tears.’’ TURKEY’S POLICY REPORTED ASSURANCE TO BRITAIN (Received June 9, 10 p.m.) ANKARA, June 9. It is reliably stated that the British Embassy has been informed by Turkey that she will observe an official “hands-off” policy regarding Syria, taking only the necessary action to defend her own frontiers. ITALIAN LOSSES IN ABYSSINIA BATTLE ALONG OMO RIVER ACTIVITIES IN WESTERN DESERT LONDON, June 8. A Cairo communique on the situation in Libya reports artillery activity by both sides round Tobruk, and vlgorour patrolling continues round Solium. A communique from Nairobi states: “After the successful crossing of'the River Omo In Abyssinia, in two places, our columns are advancing from the easrand south and are pressing forward. The speed and dash of our East African and West African troops prevented the enemy completing road demolitions. The enemy lost more than 100 dead on the: northern crossing alohe. Captures hitherto made in the Omo battle include 3000 Europeans and 1000 Eritreans, a number of guns. 200 domes* many rnachine r guns, and large, quantises,' of other war .material. The enemy is being vigorously pursued.”

FRENCH FORCES IN SYRIA

1 Appeal By Allied Commanders AID SOUGHT AGAINST GERMANY (Received June *9, 8 p.m.) (U.P.A.) LONDON, June 9. General de - Gaulle has issued the following order of the day: • “French officers, non-commissioned officers, soldiers, sailors, and airmen of the Levant: now is the time to resume the fight for the liberation of France. I have appointed General Catroux my representative and Commander-in-Chief of the French forces in the Levant. You must obey his orders. This time ‘on les aura’ and France will win.” General Catroux has issued a proclamation to the French in the Levant, in which he says: “Forces of Free France, united with her allies of Britain and her Empire, have entered the Levant to chase the enemy and wash away the shame of the Vichy Government’s capitulation.” The Commander-in-Chief in the Middle East (General Sir Archibald Wavell), broadcasting an appeal to the troops in Syria, addressed them as “partners in to-morrow’s history.” He said there was only one way to preserve Syrian territory for the Syrian people, and that was by keeping the Germans out .

“Believe us,” continued General Wavell, "it is not the honour of France., it is not your honour as a soldier that you would defend in fighting against us to the end. You would only defend this territory in the interests of the enemy. The real way to honour is to rallj> round us and resume the fight against the enemy. Come and hasten his defeat. “From those who cannot fight in our ranks we ask only one thing—that they should not hinder us in this fight, which is also theirs. We preserve the memories of the victory obtained together against the same Boches 20 years ago. We are going to be at them a second time, and we should like this to be with your help, side by side with our comrades of the last war. and not against you.” Leaflets containing General Wavell’s message were dropped from aeroplanes over Syria. The common action in Syria and Lebanon .by Free French forces and British troops is commented upon in the following terms by General de Gaulle’s headquarters in London. “It is, to Admiral Darlan and his policy of gradually giving away the French Empire to Germany and collaborating in a military sense with the enemy that must be ascribed the responsibility for apy fighting that may occur in Syria.” Assurance to Syrians The British Ambassador to Egypt (Sir Miles Lampson) declared: “I am authorised by the British Government to declare that it supports and associates itself with the assurance of indeSendence given by General Catroux on ehalf of General de Gaulle to Syria and Lebanon. I am also authorised to give you an assurance that should you support and join the Allies, the British Government will offer the people of Syfia and Lebanon all the advantages enjoyed by the free countries associated with it.” Public feeling has been greatly stirred by the news of the entry of British and Free French troops into Syria. The dignity of tone of General de Gaulle’s declaration is praised and the statement of Mr R. G. Menzies that “much as Australians feel for the oppressed people of France, we could not , allow the German invaders to hide behind the skirts of Vichy’s neutrality, as expressed by Admiral Darlan and M. Laval” is applauded. One leading Arab newspaper states that the advance of British troops under General Wilson was the cause of great relief to all Arabs. It states that the presence of the British forces will prevent intrigue and protect the country against revolts like the Iraqi affair. . The danger of disturbance in Syria has been removed. The newspaped added that the Axis leaders were striking at Egypt from the west in the Western Desert, and from the east in Palestine. They were also attempting to compel the British Navy to distribute its forces in maintaining its protective role over the ports of Egypt and Palestine. The German broadcasting station, Deutschlandsender, has a problem of explanation which the ingenuity of Dr. Goebbels will be strained to its full extent to solve, for it announced on Saturday night that Mr Churchill “had demanded that \ General Sir Archibald Wavell march into Syria, but General Wavell had refused to take immediate action in view of the grave British losses in Greece and, Crete.” In this case fiction appears stranger, than the truth.

BRITISH FORCES IN EGYPT Constant Stream Of Supplies LONDON, June 8. In a nation-wide broadcast from Melbourne, the Australian Prime Minister (Mr R. G. Menzies) discussed the position in Egypt. He said that for months Britain had • been straining every nerve to send men, guns, tanks, and aircraft to Egypt, and within the last few weeks Mr Churchill had told him that the amount was limited only by the physical problem of transport over such a great distance. He said that he had full confidence in the planning and leadership of such commanders as Sir John Dill and Sir Archibald Wavell. It must not be thought that such men could be overruled by politicians many thousands of miles away. NAVAL UNITS - LEAVE GIBRALTAR LONDON, June 8. The aircraft-carriers Ark Royal and Furious, the cruiser Sheffield, and a number of destroyers and submarines are reported to have left Gibraltar and proceeded at full speed towards the east. GERMAN AERODROMES IN SYRIA DISCOVERY BY BRITISH PILOTS (Received June 10, 2 a.m.) LONDON, June 9. Mr Richard McMillan, a correspondent of the British United Press, in a message from' Cairo, says: “A British pilot told me ‘we found secret aerodromes in Syria which General Dentz allowed the Germans to build. I found one field through a large transport aeroplane being there. I was unable to identify it definitely, but I believe it was a German type.’” Mr McMillan also said that French pilots in Syria made merely a pretence of fighting off British aeroplanes. “MADE YEARS YOUNGER” A man of 73 writes: “I was fast losing my faculties. Life held very little for me, when I was persuaded to take a course ,of MARSHALLS FOSPHERINE. The difference it has made has been .amazing. Just as if I had been made . years younger.” “Marshall’s” will make a. difference to you, revitalising your nervous system. A few drops , in water ir sufficient. Buy a bottle of “Marshall’s” to-day from any chemist or store. —1