PETAIN REGIME

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25216, 31 May 1945, Page 5

PETAIN REGIME

AGREEMENT WITH BRITAIN wartime accord alleged (Reed. 0.30 p.m.) MONTREAL. May 29 Details of a secret agreement alleged to have been reached between Mr Churchill and Marshal Petain in 1940 have been given in a book, "Accords Between Churchill and Petain f " by a French professor, Louis Rougier, published with the approval of the Canadian censorship. Professor Rougier says he acted as intermediary between Marshal Petain and Mr Churchill. The book reproduces photostatic copies of telegrams arid letters, and also a memorandum with corrections in Mr Churchill's handwriting. According to the writer, when the British attacked the French fleet on July 3, 1910, Laval hoped to force Petain to declare war against Britain. Rougier thereupon went to London with a note of introduction from Petain. The Permanent Under-Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Lord Cadogan, told Rougier that Mr Churchill would see him only if Rougier did not make contact with the de Gaulle party. Rougier agreed and he subsequently met Mr Churchill.

Later, Mr William Strang, Foreign Office counsellor, asked Rougier to draw up a memorandum which would be regarded as a gentleman's agreement. The memorandum listed the following main points:—Firstly, permission for French shipping to resume trade between France and North Africa; secondly, Britain would not act to separate the French colonies still under Vichy control; thirdly, Britain took note that, Vichv would resist all efforts to seize Vichy colonies; fourthly, the 8.8.C. would not attack Petain. . On the other hand. Vichy undertook firstly to protect all remaining territories against the Axis; secondly, not to cede ports or ships to the Axis; thirdly, to join Britain when the British were able to demonstrate their ability to land and re-equip the French forces.

Mr Churchill's annotations on the memorandum included: "Tf Weygand raises the standard in North Africa, he can count on the wholehearted collaboration of the Governments and peoples of the British Empire and a share of United States assistance." Rougier says both sides loyally observed the agreement until the Germans abrogated the Franco-German armistice when the Allies landed in North Africa, and Petain's status became that of a prisoner.

BRITISH CASUALTIES THIRD OF LAST WAR 1,128,315 IN 66 MONTHS LONDON, May 129 The number of casualties suffered by the British Commonwealth and Empire in the present war from September, 1939, to the end of February, 1945 66 months —was .1,128,315, of which 307,201 were deaths, said Air Churchill, answering a question in the House of Commons. He added that in the last war the casualties suffered by the British Commonwealth and Empire forces in 52 months numbered 3,286,090, including 996.230 deaths. It should be borne in mind, said the Prime Minister, that in the present war additional losses from enemy bombardment, involving the civil population in Britain, totalled 60,585 killed and 86.175 injured, while upward of 150,000 were slightly injured. ALLIES IN TRIESTE CORDIAL RELATIONS LONDON, May 20 Relations between Eighth Army troops and the Yugoslavas in the Trieste zone are very cordial, says Renter's Trieste correspondent. The Indians are inviting the Yugoslavs to their camps to learn Indian dances , and the Yugoslavs are inviting British soldiers to camp concerts. Yugoslav patrols invariably salute all Allied troops. The Belgrade radio announces that 2500 inhabitants of Trieste todnv demonstrated against the Italian Prime Minister, Signor Bonomi, and hailed Marshal Tito and the fraternity of Italians and Yugoslavs.

WASHINGTON TALKS TRUMAN AND SUBASIC (Rerd. 11.10 p.m.) WASHINGTON, May 30 President Truman saw the YugoslavForeign Minister. Dr Subasic, at the White House yesterday. It is reported that they had. a frank talk about the situation at Trieste. WAR MEASURES REPEALED (Recri. 6.10 p.in.) LONDON, May 30 The Government of South Africa has repealed some of its emergency war measures,

PALESTINE STUDENTS •LONDON, May 20

Fifteen hundred Arab students demonstrated in the streets of Jaffa today against the closing of the Government High School, where pupils on strike in sympathy -with Lebanon and Syriftj