FRANCE’S AFFAIRS

Grey River Argus, 1 August 1940, Page 7

FRANCE’S AFFAIRS

PAN-AMERICAN PLAN U.S.A. Naval Expedition TO TAKE CONTROL IN WEST INDIES. OF FRENCH AND DUTCH POSSESSIONS. (Received July 31, 5.5 p.m.., HAVANA, July 30. The Pan-American Conference has adjourned sine die, after all of the de.egates had signed the convention, and also the “Act of Havana ” NEW YORK, July 30. The “Daily News” publishes a copyrighted, exclusive story, which states: “The Pan-American Conference at Havana has agreed, and the step now will only await ratification. on a plan sanctioned by PanAmerican nations for the United States to send a naval expedition to the Caribbean Sea, early in September to impose a trusteeship on the French possessions and the Dutch possessions. This trusteeship would hav e the following effects: —(1) The liquidating of war in the West Indies; (2) and the bottling up of oil refineries on the Dutch is.and of Aruba, which have been important suppliers of Germany; (3) the impounding of 250 million dollar a worth of gold in the French island of Martinique; (4) the demilitarising of the French naval units at Martinique; and (5) the re-purchasing of one hundred United States military planes in Martinique for their re-saw to Britain.

GRABBING IDEA DENIED.

BY U.S.A. SECRETARY. (Received July 31, 5.5 p.m.) HAVANA, July 30. Senator Cordell Hui” (United States Secretary of State), following the Pan-American Conference, has issued her e a statement stressing “that, at no time, has any American nation had the slightest, thought or taking advantage of the European situation for the purpose of grabbing territory.” Referring to certain governments as conducting subversive activities in the Western Hemisphere, Senator Hull made a charge that “the pursuing of these policies by personnel, diplomatic, and. consular missions have increased out of all proportion to the needs for legitimate functions.” PAN-AMERICAN CONSIDERATION. WASHINGTON, .July 30. Mr Welles said: I hope that a satisfactory understanding can be worked out, to prevent trouble regarding Martinique. Answering an inquiry as to what the United States would consider to be a change in the sovereignty of European possessions, justifying action under the Havana agreement, Mr Welles said that a change .would be considered to have occurred when a free, independent government lost its independence and came under duress. He added that Dutch possessions 'were • not affected, because The Netherlands Government was operating freely in London. Mr Welles refused to express an opinion on the French Government. AMBASSADOR TO U.S.A. VICHY July 30. The United States has approved the nomination of the Mayor of Versailles. M. Henry Haye, as Ambassador to Washington. CONDITIONS IN FRANCE Picture of Distress BY BRITISH PRESS CORRESPONDENT.

(Received July 31, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, July 31

The Vichy correspondent of tne British United Press says: “France faces the winter with dread in herheart. The crops are ripening, and are unattended, and a majority of the farmers havfe not yet returned from the army. The Germans have ruined or harvested most of the crops in Northern France. It i s estimated that a harvest will yield only half of France’s requirements. Communications are chaotic. One hundred million letters and packages are awaiting delivery. Telegrams take five days te cover one hundred miles. Newspapers are publishing columns of small advertisements from families seeking news of lost wives, fathers. and children. The Germanisation of Alsace-Lorraine continues. Strasbourg is a ghost city, only a few of its two hundred thousand inhabitants having been allowed to return, but the Germans are re-build-ing the bridges. Boards have been nailed over broken windows in Jewish shops and synagogues to hide the gutted interiors. All towns in Al-sace-Lorraine are bordering on economic exhaustion. French inhabitants are ragged, mothers being surrounded by half-naked children. French prisoners are being released from Germany in order to assist in tne restoration of agriculture and of industry.

TRAFFIC RESUMED.

TO AND FROM OCCUPIED ZONE

VICHY, July 30

The Gormans are reported to have relaxed their suspension of conrmunications between the occupied and unoccupied zones. They allow only one passenger train daily, tor the services and Ministers going to Paris. Road movement is allowed to continue for refugees, provided the petrol tanks are full when crossing the boundarv.