NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

Grey River Argus, 17 December 1940, Page 6

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

NEW FRENCH STATE Petain Forestalls Laval [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] I.ONDON, December 15. After a long Cabinet meeting at Vichy, Marshal Petain announced he intended to create a consultative National Assembly, to advise him and share the responsibility. A communique later announced a Consultative Assembly would replace the old Senate and Chamber of Deputies, from which full powers \ver e transferred to Marshal Petain at the final meeting of the Constituent Assembly on July TO. . Whil e awaiting a definition of the new Assembly, Marshal Petain decided to appoint a group from all the competent/ orders to ’deliberate the points determined by the Government. Thus, the decision was taxen in principle to create a political body fully representative and capabl e of advising the head of the State, and sharing certain responsibilities. PETAIN’S MESSAGE HITLER TOLD OF CHANGE LONDON, December 15. The “Sunday Express’’ says: It is authoritatively reported from Berne that the Minister of the Interior, M. Peyrouton, and other Ministers, will be charged with Laval with plotting to establish an indeepndent Government in Paris, to lead France into war against Britain. Marshal Petain sent a message to Hitler stating that M.. Flandin appears more apt than his predecessor to pursue Franco-German rapprochement, with the support of public opinion.

The message to Hitler was a reply to on e from Hitler announcing the delivery to France of th e ashes of Napoleon’s son, which lie alongside Napoleon’s in Les Invai’des. Jacques Chevalier, the noted French philosopher, has been appointed Minister of Public Instruction, succeeding M. Ripert.

Commentators in London are uncertain how to interpret Laval’s dismissal and Flandin’s appointment. The general feeling is summed up in th e phrase, “Nothing could be worse than Laval.”

CHARGE AGAINST LAVAL

New York Paper’s Version (Received Dec. 16, 9.50 p.m.) NEW YORK, December 16. The “New York Times” Berne correspondent says: M. Pierre Laval has been imprisoned at Pelle Voisin. He is awaiting charges of attempting a coup d’etat against Marshal Petain, timed to coincide with the re-burial of the ashes of Napoleon’s in Paris on Sunday in the presence of Admiral Darlan and Laure high Nazijs. It is authoritatively stated that M. Laval, at a Vichy Cabinet meeting on Friday, urged Marshal Petain to attend the re-burial of Napoleon’s son, because Herr Hitler was doing likewise, thus providing a gesture of Franco-German friendship. M. Peyrouton, it is stated, requested guarantees for Marshal Petain’s safety, whereup M. Laval heatedly retorted, letting slip a hint as his plans. Marshal Petain and other Ministers demanded an eplxanation from M. Laval, who threatened Marshal Petain with physical violence Marshal Petain placed M. Laval under arrest, and then he cut communications with places abroad to prevent the news reaching Herr Hitler prematurely.