TRAITOR KING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20262, 1 June 1940, Page 11

TRAITOR KING

PLANNED FELONY

LEOPOLD ACCUSED EVASIVE IN CRISIS DEFEATIST SPIRIT CONTACTS OPPOSED BELGIUM AND FRANCE (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. May 31, 2.10 p.m.) PARIS, May 30. In a remarkable dispatch in which it is declared that King _ Leopold’s treachery was not only military but an organised and premediated felony, the Havas Agency states that King Leopold, after the outbreak of war, forbade his Ministers to leave Belgium, particularly for France. “King Leopold refused to present himself to Parliament before assuming the army command as his father did in 1914,” states the despatch. “He also refused to condemn the invaders and showed signs of a defeatist spirit. “He opposed collaboration between the French and Belgian authorities to prepare for the evacuation of the civilians. Charges of Treason “King Leopold acted equivocally at Ostend. Members of the Cabinet tried to persuade him to accompany them from Belgium and reproached him for not following General Weygand’s advice. The King was evasive, saying the army was too tired to make the withdrawal which would have saved the situation. “The Ministers protested that the army was In excellent fettle and morale on which they had been informed by army officers who did not hesitate to use the werrd treason. “It was only by chance that the Ministers learned after their last terview with the King on Saturday that the Germans were only six kilometres away. King Leopold showed signs of extreme exasperation declaring he was determined to make peace in order to preserve relative independence. . . , “The Belgian Prime Minister, M. Pierlot, without avail pointed out that the King was about to violate the constitution. The Government on Sunday received a request from the King for a blank sheet signed by a member of the Cabinet. The King explained it was needed to enable him to nominate another Minister constitutionally. His obvious intention was the summoning of a new Prime Minis- “ The ruse failed, all Ministers refusing to sign. Soon afterwards the King ordered the cease fire.” The Belgian Cabinet, at a meeting in Paris to-day decreed that as King Leopold is in th- power of the invader it is impossible for him to reign.