INSTIGATION OF WAR

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20569, 31 May 1941, Page 5

INSTIGATION OF WAR

BLAME ON BRITAIN FRENCH “SIMPLY TOOLS” (Elec. Tel. Copyrifzht—United Press Assn.) (Reed. May 31, 9 a.m.) VICHY, May 29. The Vichy Vice-Premier, Admiral Darlan, interviewed, said: “Britain instigated this war. The French were simply tools in her hands. “England did Her utmost to prevent France profiting from the victory in the Great War and always sought to weaken us militarily. “England signed the Anglo-German naval treaty without even warning France of the negotiations. I recall i bitter discussion at the Admiralty with Mr. A. V. Alexander, who finally exploded: ‘Admiral, you must understand that no First Lord could sleep while a single French submarine was in the Channel.’ ” Admiral Darlan, referring lo the internment of French warships in Alexandria, said: “I pay homage to Admiral Cunningham as the- only British sailor, who behaved like, a gentleman.” Uneasiness Alleged

Admiral Darlan said that during this war Britain did not show eagerness to help France ort land or in the air, but at sea' Britain had many times asked for the help of the French navy. French warships, he said, protected British battleships en route to Gibraltar and Alexandria. The same vessels remained in the eastern Mediterranean because Britain did not want them in Die western area. Britain, for thanks, interned them. From 1936 Britain was afraid of Germany, but was still uneasy concerning the French strength at sea and tried to hinder French naval construction.

“She really was alarmed by 1938 and therefore let us alone in 1939,” he said. “Britain begged the French to , speed up the construction of frontline ships in 1940, but after the armistice tried to destroy them. The French Government from 1919 to 1930 embraced an internal policy of demagogues, resulting in moral lowering in the nation and refusal to build up the army for attack. According to the incoherent foreign policy the French were the gendarmes of Europe with paper boots, cardboard swords and circus pistols.”