BELLIGERENT POWER

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 144, 20 May 1941, Page 5

BELLIGERENT POWER

FRANCE’S TRUE ROLE

DE GAULLE DECLARATION. LOUDON, May 19.

General tie Gaulle and the Council of Defence of the French Empire have issued a statement denouncing the agreement reached between the Vichy authorities and Germany, and declaring that France is still a belligerent Power.

J The statement says the French na- | tion has been unable to make ii.s voice even laintly heard. The source of authority of the Vichy Government lies in the person of an old man of 8-3 who was known some years ago to be enfeebled by age. The Government is not able to exercise its authority and it has no right to do so under such circumstances.

Where it had been possible to do so, Frenchmen had expressed a desire to continue the struggle; the vast majority were animated i>y these sentiments. “France must not be held responsible for acts committed in her name by rulers who have usurped power,” says the declaration. “The French nation will continue the war with the weapons it can procure. It should be regarded as a belligerent nation.” 1 It is reported from Vichy that Admiral Dari an is returning to Paris for further negotiations with the Germans and an announcement is expected to* morrow.

A United Press message from Washington says the Vichy Government has refused to allow two United States food ships which took 13,000 tons of flour to France to leave Marseilles. This is in contravention of the agreement that they would lie allowed to leave when they had discharged their cargo.

RELEASE OF VETERANS. (Pec. 10.55 a.in.) VJCHY. May IS). It is officially announced that Germany has agreed to release immediately 100 000 French soldier prisoners who fought in the litet war. This is regarded as the first visible result of the German and French negotiations. It will be noted that Germany is keeping the younger soldiers.