LEBANON CRISIS OVER

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24116, 27 November 1943, Page 5

LEBANON CRISIS OVER

GENERAL CATROUX PRAISED LONDON, Nov 25. The Lebanon incident may be regarded as closed, states Reuter’s diplomatic correspondent, The President of Lebanon, its Government and Parliament are all again working, and internal peace reigns. Full credit is being paid in London to the tact and resource with which General Catroux handled the crisis. The Commissioner for Foreign Affairs nVT. Massigli), speaking during a debate on foreign affairs in the Consultative Assembly at Algiers, said: "The achievement of Lebanese independence will be the joint work of France and Lebanon. It is unnecessary for any Power to act as an intermediary.” General de Gaulle, winding up the debate, said: “Certain friendly Powers tend to be dubious about the French Committee of National Liberation, but the committee has great difficulties with which to contend, and it is anxious to maintain its alliances. The .committee is. in fact, the Government of the French Republic.”

SOLDIER STRUCK BY GENERAL

WAR DEPARTMENT ASKS FOR REPORT WASHINGTON, Nov. 25. “The United States War Department has requested General Eisenhower to furnish a full report on the incident in which Lieutenant-General G. S. Patton, commander of the 7th United States Army, struck a soldier," said th’e Secretary of War (Mr H. L. Stimson) when addressing a press conference. Mr Stimson explained that since the beginning of the war he and the Chief (General George Marshall) had adopted tthe principle of selecting a possible theatre commander and then giving him a free hand and complete authority. Under this principle General Eisenhower was responsible for all matters of administration and discipline within his theatre. Mr Stimson said that the War Department disapproved of the statement issued by Allied Headquarters denying that Lieutenant-General Patron had been reprimanded. He added that obviously General Eisenhower had not approved of the denial, since it was promptly disapproved by his headquarters, FASCIST TERRORISM REPRISALS IN ITALIAN TOWN LONDON. Nov. 25. Lorries loaded with Fascist soldiers firing incessantly drove through Ferrara, when reprisals were ordered for the assassination a week ago of Ferrara’s Fascist delegates, Chisselim, says the Swiss newspaper “Libera Stampa.” It adds that the SecretaryGeneral of the new Fascist Party (Pavolini) ordered the reprisals. Workers were shut in factories, and pedestrians hurried home, where they barred the doors and windows. About 300,/ whose attitude to the new Fascist Party was doubtful, were taken from their offices, factories, and homes, and

were imprisoned in the mediaeval castle. Twelve of them were taken to a courtyard and were shot in the back without trial. Fascist'soldiers guarded the corpses all night in the square outside the castle. Several prominent citizens were found dead in the-mornmg.