VICHY MOVES

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 116, 10 February 1941, Page 7

VICHY MOVES

Rumours "Spread By

Germans

STAND BY DARLAN Laval Declines Post; Flandin’s * Position (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received 'February-9, 10 p.m.) LONDON,/February 9. A German radio) report received in London last night'-stated that the French Chief of State, Marshal Petain, and the Navy Minister. Admiral Darlan, had flown to Africa. It added that rioting and shooting was occurring in Vichy. The report was stated to come from Berne. Free Frenchmen in London said the message should be treated with the greatest reserve. It was possibly a German attempt to undermine French confidence in Marshal Petain.

Early today the official German news agency disavowed the report- that revolution had broken out in Vichy. It added that the report had come from sources in Switzerland and that the grounds for the disavowal were that the report had not been accurately reproduced. The German news agency also states that the Vichy Foreign Minister. M. Flandin, lias resigned. Provoking Trouble.

A 8.8. C. broadcast in French stated that the German reports were probably designed to create confusion to Germany’s advantage and to provoke troubles which would be an excuse for retaliatory German action. The 8.8. C. appealed to the French populace to remain calm and give no excuse for further German aggression. An earlier message stated that Marshal Retain announced that M. Laval had refused to become Minister of State. This followed conferences between Admiral Darlan and members of Cabinet. It added that M. Laval had been offered a place in a “Comm.l - tee of Directives of State.” The Vichy correspondent of the “Daily Express” stated that Admiral Darlan was in Paris on Friday diseti •*- ing compromise proposals for FranceGerman collaboration. The main (inference was reported to be Admeni Darlan’s insistance that France m -: retain control of her navy and ret a to surrender the fleet or naval base-. He is believed to have threatened to scuttle the fleet rather than surrender. Statement by Weyganil. Admiral Darlan’s reported declarations suggests that he fully appreciates in the negotiations with the Germans the importance of the French fleet, and the North African possessions, ami a statement by General Weygand. broadcast from Algiers, attracts attention. It said: “In the name of the Government I can announce that persistent rumours spread by foreign propaganda abroad of eventual German action at Bizerta in connexion with operations in Tripoli are without foundation." The United States Ambassador. Admiral Leahy, called on Marshal Petain, and. according to reports, the possibility of a relaxation of the British blockade to permit the importation of food to France was discussed.