ACTION DISOWNED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23970, 21 May 1941, Page 9

ACTION DISOWNED

DECISIONS OF VICHY NOT WISH OF PEOPLE DE GAULLE STATEMENT LONDON. May 10 i General de Gaulle's Free French , headquarters in London has made the following announcement: —"On the occasion of the agreements recently concluded between the Vichy Government and Germany, and in anticipation of the repercussion these agreements may have on the interests, of France and the attitude adopted to her by other States, General de Gaulle and the Council of Defence of the French Empire consider it necessary to • bring some points to the attention of the British Government, the chiefs of the Allied Governments and foreign diplomatic missions in London : "First, the Vichy Government, by reason of the armistice, has placed itself in a position which deprives it of all independence of the invader. Usurpation of Power "Secondly, this same Government has seized power and completely changed French institutions without in any way consulting the French people, whose representatives have not been able to express their opinion in elementary conditions of freedom and dignity. "Thirdly, since this usurpation, the Vichy Government exercises its power without any check by the French nation, which has not got the faintest possibility of being heard, since twothirds of the country is occupied by the enemy and one-third—-under enemy control —-is subjected to a regime of complete silence. "Fourthly, according to the so-called constitutional, texts, which have been arbitrarily substituted for the French constitution, the source of authority of the Vichy Government lies exclusively in the person of an old man aged 85 who for many years has been known to be enfeebled by age Desire to Continue War "Fifthly, it follows from these facts that the Vichy Government is not in a position to exercise the prerogatives of French sovereignty, and has no right to do so. In particular, the measures it is taking in collaboration with the invader are neither free nor legal, and consequently cannot be considered as being the will of the French people. "Sixthly, where French citizens have had a possibility of making their real feelings known, the vast majority have manifested a desire for France to continue the war. This is the case in all the territories of the Empire which have been freed from Vichy—and in all foreign countries —in spite of severe punishments inflicted by Vichy at the order of the invader on those who continue tho struggle. Nation Still a Belligerent "Seventhly, General de Gaulle and the Council of Defence of the French Empire, whose authority is freely recognised throughout all French territories already liberated from enemy control, cannot and must not be held responsible for the acts supposedly committed in her name by rulers who usurped power and who,® of their own accord, have subjected themselves to the enemy. "The French nation is continuing the war by means of all her military forces and territories outside the control of the enemy, and should therefore still be considered as a belligerent nation by all States, and as an Ally by those States which fight our common enemies. The French nation does not at present and will not in future recognise any infringements of her territorial rights committed by any State in the world owing to, and taking advantage of, the situation in which she has been placed by her enemies and usurpers acting under the enemy who claim to rule her."

FRENCH COLONIES % AMERICAN PURCHASE PLAN (Reed. 7.20 p.m.) WASHINGTON, May 19 In the House of Representatives Mr. F. Case introduced a bill authorising the United States to acquire French possessions in the western hemisphere. It proposed that the State Department be directed to negotiate witli France for the acquisition of Martinique and Guadeloupe, in the West Indies, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, off Newfoundland. and French Guiana, in South America, and such sliips. aeroplanes and cargoes as the French Government may care to sell. Congressional action was completed on a bill to extend the system of licence control of exports to the Philippines and the Canal Zone, designed to prevent leakage of supplies to the Axis. ENTRY INTO WAR JAPANESE PRESS VIEWS LONDON, May 19 The Japanese press to-day declares that the United States' participation in the war is only a matter of time, says an agency message from Tokio. The general comment is that Japan ! must abide by her obligations should the occasion arise. The newspaper Kokumin says Japan's attitude is very simple. It all depends on what America is going to do regardless of Japan's possible declaration of war. It is quite natural that Japan should extend every material aid to the' Axis. Whether war is declared or not is a secondary matter. MINERS TO RESUME

SHIPPING PLANT STRIKE (fiecd. 7.20 p.m.) NEW YORK, May IS) The United Mine "Workers' president, Mr. J. L. Lewis, ordered the hardcoal miners to return to work landing the signing of a tentative agreement providing for an immediate wage increase. Approximately 1000 workmen struck to-dav at Lorain on Lake Erie, closing the American Shipbuilding Company's plant, which is handling 10.000,000 dollars' worth of delenco contracts, IMPORTANT MESSAGE LONDON, May 20 Diplomatic circles in Washington expect that President Boosevelt will shortlv send a very important message to Congress, possibly this week.