Manawatu Evening Standard. SATURDAY, OCT. 26, 1940. HITLER'S TALKS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 281, 26 October 1940, Page 6

Manawatu Evening Standard. SATURDAY, OCT. 26, 1940. HITLER'S TALKS.

Hitler's talks with M. Laval, the German - minded French Vice-Premier, "somewhere in Prance" have heen speedily followed by conversations with Spain's Dictator, General Franco, on the frontier with France. Nothing but a bare announcement has been made officially of these meetings—following the usual German custom —and diplomatic writers have had to piece fragments of news together to arrive at the facts as far as they can be ascertained. The French Government at Vichy officially denied that M. Laval went to Paris to negotiate on conditions which have been canvassed as likely to be presented by the Germans. These include the surrender of the French Navy for use against Britain, the cession of Alsace and Lorraine, the division of Tunis between Italy and France, and of Morocco between France and Spain. The Rome correspondent of the Associated Press affirms that Hitler propounded a plan for a temporary settlement between the Axis Powers and France to enable them to become collaborators in prosecuting the war. Whatever the real position, there is not the slightest doubt that the meeting bodes no good at all for France. Hitler's invasion plans have been systematically smashed by the R.A.F.; Germany-faces a desperately hard winter, which even the systematic robbing of the States, in. bondage to Berlin will not greatly alleviate for the German people, and there is risingdiscontent among people ground down by Nazi despotism. He cannot afford to quarrel with the Vichy Government, which has refused terms of settlement completely out of harmony with even the degrading armistice terms Marshal Petaiii accepted to end the war in France. Hitler must therefore pacify the nation which is growing restive under the restrictions the conquerors have imposed upon! it. If Hitler, however, is prepared to see France keen the peace with Britain, he does not intend that Spain shall, if he can will it otherwise, remain out of the war. So far General Franco has wisely maintained a spirit of non-belligerency, correctly .preferring to accept the disagreeable conditions of war as at present exist -for Spain to the horrors of another conflict with his country still emerging from the catastrophe of the civil strife, in spite of the fact that quite a number of the more chauvinistically inclined Spaniards would not be averse to fighting- Britain for Gibraltar. Both Italy and Germany cannot be other than resentful of this attitude after their help to General Franco against the Republicans, but they have badly failed _ to bring the war to Spain, a nation that is still war weary and has been seeking- only the chance to

restore, the tremendous damage and loss caused a few years ago. For this reason Spain thinks twice before making such a desperate .decision as Hitler wants. With regard to France, Mr Churchill's broadcast was cither cleverly timed or else coincided without design with the LavalHitler talks. It has been well received by Frenchmen away from France, and there is evidence to believe that inside that unhappy country many French people heard it and have been encouraged by its message. Britain does not appear to be greatly affected as yet by these discussions.