FRANCE’S TRIBULATION

Evening Star, Issue 23723, 2 November 1940, Page 12

FRANCE’S TRIBULATION

NEGOTIATIONS WITH GERMANY VICHY GOVERNMENT'S DIFFICULTIES THE LEADERS DIVIDED Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, November 1. There is full appreciation in authoritative quarters in London of the difficulties with which Marshal Detain is confronted in his efforts to secure amelioration for the French people of the crushing burdens east upon them by the terms imposed by Germany. The measure of these difficulties emerged to some extent in Marshal Petain’s broadcast recently. One of the outstanding hardships under which the French people suffer concerns the expenses of German occupation, which amount to 400,000,000 francs a day—a figure out of all proportion to anything asked for from the Germans at the end last war. Better arrangements marcation between occupied end .ipied France, and some betteruic... uj the lot or release of French prisoners in German hands, are other alleviations which it is clear are sought by Marshal Petain in the proposed collaboration with the Germans. It is apparently hoped that the results of this collaboration will become known in the course of the next week or so. INACCURATE REPORTS. Meanwhile there is disinclination here to accept the accuracy of the reports that the Vichy Government contemplates large surrenders of territory in metropolitan France or in the French overseas empire, and concessions to Germany, which would amount to betrayal of France’s ally. Confidence that the honour of France will be upheld by the aged marshal in these negotiations was expressed by General Weygand. On October 30 the Tangier newspaper ‘ Depeche Marocaine ’ published the following from Rabat: “ Certain foreign radio stations have broadcast reports of France’having accepted terms incompatible with her national honour. The Residency-General has received from the French Government information which permits it to affirm that the said reports are devoid of all foundation.”

The following message, addressed yesterday to General Nogues by General Weygand, delegate of the French Government in French Africa, has forcefully confirmed the above; — “ General Weygand warns the people of French Africa against hasty and tendentious foreign reports concerning the attitude and orders of the French Government. I ask all the governors and to warn their people immediately in this sense. Nothing contrary to the honour or the interests of France and her peoples who entrusted themselves to her has been or could be agreed to by the Government headed by Marshal Petain.” In London this expression of views by General Weygand is taken as a further indication of the wide divergence between the attitude of General Weygand and Marshal Petain on the one hand and M. Laval on the other. M. LAVAL’S VIEWS. M. Laval, in a statement on FrancoGerman collaboration, said it would embrace colonial in addition to economic questions. France was at present preparing a precise answer to the German questionnaire. He revealed that ho and two other members of the Vichy Government to-day had important technical conversations with German military and political authorities in Paris. M. Laval, interviewed before the meeting with Hitler, declared that democracy was everywhere d.ead. He aimed to stake France’s future on collaboration with Germany. WESTERN POSSESSIONS \ NO CHANGE OF SOVEREIGNTY WASHINGTON, November 1. '(Received November 2, at 8 a.m.) The French Ambassador, M. Henri Have, assured the Under-Secretary of State, Mr Sumner Welles, that the United States need not fear attempts to change the sovereignty of French possessions in the Western Hemisphere. He gave an official denial that Germany sought to transfer certain French African possessions.

AMERICAN PLANES

DELIVERIES TO BRITAIN MR WENDELL PROMISES WASHINGTON, October 31. British sources state that the actual shipments of aircraft to England in September totalled 250 units. The October shipments are expected to be the same, and in November they should reach 300 By June the shipments will be at least 600 a month. The Republican candidate for the Presidency, Mr Wendell Willkie, in a speech at Wilmington, derided President Roosevelt’s recommendation in favour of priority of delivery for 12,000 war planes to Britain. “ Well, who wouldn’t?” he asked. “As a matter of fact, if you elect me as President our production will be so geared up that such a request would not even constitute news, because it would be insignificant in comparison with what America would do productively.