NEW FRENCH PARTY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23880, 3 February 1941, Page 8

NEW FRENCH PARTY

OPPOSITION TO VICIIY COLLABORATION WITH NAZIS TOTALITARIAN PROGRAMME By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received February 2, 7.5 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 'J The Paris radio announced the formation of a "People's Committee," which is a rival to Petaiu's National Union. The new committee favours full collaboration with Genu any. Launched in Paris, the new party consists of notoriously pro-German Frenchmen. Laval is believed to be behind it, although his name is not mentioned. The announcement of its programme contains a mixture of the phrases under which the Nazis cloak their policy. The movement aims at a national revolution, purification of the rare, physical and spiritual resurrection, a corporate State economy, and currency guaranteed by the nation's work. Its foreign aims reveal Germany's desire to exploit the French colonies. The new party stands for the exploitation of Africa by France and Germany in collaboration, and French collaboration with Germany in Furope. One of the sponsors of the movement said that France's future depended on immediate collaboration with Germany. It was no use waiting for Germany to beat Britain. "The men of Vichy," were attacked by the spokesman for dismissing Laval while lie was negotiating with the Germans. lb> made personal attacks on all the Vichy Cabinet except Retain. F land in was charged with having adonted a policy of waiting. The Paris press and radio have launched a violent attack on the Vichy administration. INFLATION APPEARING DRAIN ON FRENCH FINANCES LONDON, .Tan. 31 Signs of inflation in France are appearing as a result of the desperate state of the public finances, says the Daily Mail Madrid correspondent. The German armv of occupation costs £3,000.000 daily, and the Vichy Government requires almost the same figure to carry on its administration. France is thus faced with the necessity of providing £5,000.000 to £0.000.000 daily at a time wljen foreign trade is disrupted. Hundreds of factories are working for Germany. Consequently there is already a universal flight from the currency. EAST ASIA NEW ORDER NETHERLANDS REJECTION PHILIPPINES AND AMERICA (Received February 2, B.HO p.m.) British Wireless LONDON, Feb. 1 The Netherlands Minister to Tokio, General Pabst, has been instructed to deliver a message to the Japanese Government to the effect that, whatever may have been the real meaning of the words used by the Japanese Foreign Minister, Mr. Matsuoka, in his speech in the Diet 011 January 20 with reference to the Netherlands Indies, the Netherlands Government rejects any suggestion of having the Netherlands Indies incorporated in a new order in East Asia under the leadership of any Power whatsoever. At the same time General'Pabst stated that his Government could never be expected either to let its actions be guided by the spirit of such a conception of a new order in the Far East or to acquiesce in the consequences of its eventual application. In the course of the speech referred to Mr. Matsuoka is reported to have said: "The Netherlands East Indies and French Indo-China, if only for geographical reasons, should have an intimate and inseparable relationship with our country." President Quezon, in a message to the Philippine National Assembly, said that so long as the American flag flowover the islands, the Philippines' manpower and resources would be at the disposition of the- United States. "The defence of our country remains primarily the responsibility of the United States," lie said. WAR IN CHINA SOUTH HONAN OFFENSIVE JAPAN'S HUGE EXPENDITURE (Received February -2, 5.35 p.m.) SHANGHAI, Feb. 1 It is officially claimed by the Chungking Government that the Japanese offensive in South Honan is a failure. Chinese troops are now closing in on the Japanese. On the other hand, the Japanese Command states that lOO.OHOChungking troops have been annihilated and the offensive is progressing. The Japanese have approved army and navy extraordinary military expenditure estimates for the 1911 fiscal year totalling 4,880,000,000 yen, which are scheduled for submission to the Diet after receiving the Emperor's sanction. They will he financed by bonds to the extent of 3,997,000,000 yen. Including the recently-adopted amount of 1,000,000,000 yen supplementary expenditure for February and March, this means that extraordinary military expenditure from the outbreak of the Sino.Japanese hostilities to March, 19-12, will total 22,355,000,000 yen. It is announced that rice will he rationed in Japan when the household per capita investigation, beginning on February 8, is completed. A passbook system is planned to effort a fairer distribution on the, basis of individual needs "particularly in the category of labour." TALKS IN SINGAPORE AIR CHIEFS CONFER SINGAPORE, Jan. 23 The Chief of flic Australian Air Staff, Air-Chiel'-Marshal Sir Charles Burnett, who has arrived in Singapore to confer with the British Com-mander-in-Chief in the Orient. Air-Chief-Marsha! Sir Robert. BrookePopliam, will also four Royal Australian Air Force stations in Malaya. I lie official announcement, says Sir Charles' presence is another example oi the clo-iu co-operation between Australia and Singapore in defence measures. "It is particularly important, in view of the rapid expansion which has taken place in the Air Force in Australia in recent months," it adds. Sir Charles Burnett said lie had come to Singapore to "discuss matters of mutual interest." It is stated authoritatively that Singapore's Air Force, which 'consists mainly of Australians, will soon be five times stronger than it was before the war. This is part of a plan to transform Singapore into "one of the most Strongly defended citadels in the ' world." It will form the pivot of a defensive axis which will include Australia, New Zealand, II oiigkong and India, and guard the Far F.astern I'lmpire and the _ trade routes of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.