FRANCE WORRIED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22199, 9 December 1946, Page 7

FRANCE WORRIED

FREEING OF PRISONERS U.S. REQUEST FOR RETURN EFFECT ON ECONOMY (10 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 8. An American Note requesting the repatriation of German war prisoners m France, who were captured by the Americans, was banded to M. Bidault on December 3. The Note explains the intention is to liberate these prisoners by stages to be completed by October 1947. . „ . The Times correspondent in Pans says that both for economic and political reasons .the French Government is opposed to this steo. The Americans’ right to settle the fate of war prisoners taken bv them is fully recognised, but an effort will be made to persuade the United States’ Government either to alter or, at least postpone the decision. The rebuilding of French economy, it is pointed out. depends directly on a sufficient labour supply. The Dailv Telegraph’s correspondent in Paris says there are about 750,000 German war prisoners in France, of whom 200.000 are employed in agriculture and 60,000 in coal mines. The Times correspondent in Paris savs it is understood that America addressed similar Notes to Belgian, Dutch and Luxemburg Governments. Two thousand German prisoners of war working in the coal mines in the Valenciennes area have struck, claiming that their food is insufficient. The authorities returned them to the prison camps and sent some of the leaders to gaol.