FRENCH AFFAIRS

Grey River Argus, 9 October 1942, Page 5

FRENCH AFFAIRS

[Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] LONDON, October 7. Berlin radio referring to a bomb explosion in a Paris cinema, said this was the third attack within a week against a' meeting of Doriot’s party. Doriot at the funeral of one victim vowed that no victim would go unavenged. Following a Vichy announcement last night that 150.000 skilled workmen must be found to work in Germany by October 15, it was announced. from Vichy to-day that M. Laval fiad gone to Paris to confer with the German authorities on the drafting of labour. Before his depature, M. Laval conferred with a German envoy from Paris. WASHNGTON. Oct. 7. The withdrawal of American recognition of the Vichy Puppet Government would solidify ninety-five per cent, of the French people behind the United Nations, according to Mr. Walter Edge, who before the war was American Ambassador to France. Emphasising that he was speaking as a private citizen. Mr. Edge said: The Government unfortunately seems to feel it necessary to continue the recognition of Vichy with which only a small percentage of the French people are in sympathy. Laval’s action in conscripting workmen will certain,Iv never lead to a free or rejuvenated France. Mr. Edge assumed that one of the main reasons for the continued recognition was the hope that the French Navy would not fall into Nazi hands, but he strongly suspected that some units were already in German hands. He added that Herriot’s detention had particularly shocked him. FRENCH WORKERS FOR GERMANY. (Rec. 10.0.) LONDON. October 8.. The Vichy radio announced that eighteen train-loads of French workers have gone to' Germany since M. Laval’s recent appeal. HUGE SEAPLANE BUILT AT TOULOUSE. (Rec. 8.20.) LONDON. October 7. The" Paris radio says that of the biggest seaplanes ever constructed at Toulouse, has six motors, each developing 1.290 horsepower. The average speed is two hundred and twentv miles an hour. The radius is four thousand six' hundred miles. U.S. MAY TAKE REFUGEE CHILDREN (Rec. 11.10) WASHINGTON, Oct.' 7. Mi’ Sumner Welles. Assistant Secretary of State. announced that the United States was planning to bring to America refugee children whose parents were sent from France to Germany. He added: “The radio warnings given to French civilians to keep away from the munitions factories are consistent with a desire to spare civilians the horrors of bombardment.” EXECUTIONS AT LILLE. (Rec. 8.40) LONDON. Oct. 7. A message from Vichy stated: The Germans executed seventeen civilians in Lille after a court martial, at which they were charged with carrying arms and carrying on Bolshevik activities.