SOLD BY LAVAL

Evening Star, Issue 24483, 19 April 1943, Page 4

SOLD BY LAVAL

FRENCH PRISONERS OF WAR LONDON, April 15. M. Laval lias placed at the disposal of the German man power dictator, Herr Sauckel, all French prisoners of war in Germany for work in factories and mines, says the Madrid correspondent of the ' Daily Mail.' This affects 1,250,000 men. Prisoners of war are not given a chance to make their own decision. The French Government told them that work was compulsory and that a refusal would mean a court martial. The German authorities i'u Paris contend that the French prisoners will be " free " when they reach the labour camps, and say that the " news of their release again proves German good faith and cordiality in its relations with France." M. Laval,' under German demands, is squeezing 'France ever harder in the traffic for human beings, according to a special article in a Swiss newspaper. Officials assess every town as being productive of so much man power. The article says: " Frenchmen to 40 years of age avoid all public places. Vouths 'sent on an errand constantly fail to return hoine. Some weeks later there is a postcard from Germany. Police press gangs search from house to house. -Streets in French towns are deserted, because many Frenchmen have escaped to Spain. Others are' hiding in the country." The article adds that there is no question of the Vichy Government wielding any real authority. Half the officials of most of the Ministries have decamped. Germans absolutely control the Administration.