GERMANY & FRANCE

Grey River Argus, 5 December 1940, Page 7

GERMANY & FRANCE

GOVERNMENT TRANSFER TO VERSAILLES LONDON, December 3. Marshal Petain, head of the French Government, is shortly to be installed at Versailles, in the midst of his German masters. This latest move by the Germans is viewed with misgiving by those Frenchmen who are alive to the possibility of Germany succeeding in embroiling France with Britain.

| It is not clear from the veiled communique announcing the forthcoming [move to Versailles whether Marshal 'Petain is to be accompanied by his [Cabinet, but it is certain that what measures of independence Vichy has so far had will now disappear. If Marshal Petain goes alone, he will be isolated from those members of the Cabinet who have been able, to some extent, to curb the activities of M. Laval. With Marshal Petain under their control, the Germans will have an asset in helping to check the rising spirit of resistance throughout the country. Evidence of the increasing resistance has been given by the Germancontrolled Lyon radio, which said that unless the French co-operated with the Germans, the whole of France would be occupied, the 2,000,000 French prisoners of war would be kept in concentration camps for life, and French youths would be'sent to break -stones.

German Protection FOR FRENCH AFRICAN COLONIES. PETAIN AGAINST IT. [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] (Received December 4. 9.30 p.m.) PARIS. December 3. Marshal Petain, in an interview, said: “Germany could, undoubtedly, co-operate in the protection of our North African and our West African possessions, which are menaced by General de Gaulle and by. Britain. But France would then have to declare war on Britain. This would result in the bombing of Paris and of other French cities, which should not be allowed to occur.

Marshal Petain added ttat M. Pierre Laval is shortly going to Berlin in order to discuss Franco-Ger-man collaboration.