ILL-TREATMENT OF JEWS

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23746, 18 September 1942, Page 5

ILL-TREATMENT OF JEWS

U.S. PROTEST TO FRANCE VATICAN ALSO TAKES STRONG ATTITUDE LONDON. Sept. 16. The United States Secretary of State (Mr Cordell Hull) told the French Ambassador (M. Henry-Haye) that the wholesale shipment of French labourers to Germany would, be considered an aid to an enemy of the United States and inconsistent with French obligations under international law. Mr Hull also communicated the unqualified condemnation of the United States of the recent mass deportations of Jews from unoccupied France. "Mr Hull' 3 protest to Vichy indicated clearly that relations between the United States and the Laval Government are fast deteriorating," states the New York "Herald-Tribune." "It is evident that America's attitude has stiffened greatly within the last week. Diplomatic observers believe that if th 3 tension continues to increase an open diplomatic break is not far off.' The "Chicago Daily News," in a foreign service dispatch from Europe, states that when the Papal Nuncio, Cardinal Valerio Kaleri, protested to Marshal Petain, he intimated that the souls of the French leaders were imperilled should the persecution of the Jews continue. Marshal Petain was deeply grieved, but he expressed his inability to act. He referred the Papal envoy to Laval. The interview with Laval was stormy, the Papal Nuncio .being bluntly told to mind his own business. Subsequently, relations between Vichy and the Vatican reached their lowest point since the armistice of 1940. The seriousness of the situation is clear when it is remembered that Marshal Petain's National Revolution is based on religious grounds, and the French clergy ■ have enjoyed under Vichy a stronger position than since the French Revol'ition. Vichy, to please the Nazis, runs the risk of alienating the very elements on whom Marshal Petain relied to rebuild France. GERMAN DEMANDS TO FRANCE LONDON, Sept. 16. "The Times" states that dispatches reaching London indicate that_ Laval's week-end conferences in Paris with the Germans concerned:— (1) A peremptory acmand for the surrender of mercantile tonnage at French ports, including 130.000 tons of French shipping and 90,000 tons ol foreign shipping. Vichy admits the demand, but denies that an agreement has been reached. (2) An arbitrary demand for the opening of a German consulate in Dakar, to which Germany proposes to attach two members of the German High Command to supervise the new coast defences in French Africa. Vichy admits the demand, but states that the negotiations are continuing. (3FA demand for the immediate dispatch of 600,000 workers to Germany, in consequence of which Vichy issued a decree on September 13 conscripting able-bodied men between 18 and 50, and women -from 21 to 35, and also foreigners living in France. Control of Rubber— The United States War Production Chief (Mr Donald M. Nelson) has appointed Mr William Jeffery. president of the Union Pacific Railroad, National Rubber Administrator, in complete charge of the ] Government's rubber programme.--Washington, September 16. —————— J