BRITISH PLEDGE TO FRANCE

Southland Times, Issue 24153, 15 June 1940, Page 5

BRITISH PLEDGE TO FRANCE

Tribute To Heroic Fortitude

INDISSOLUBLE UNION OF. NATIONS

(United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received June 14, 8.0 p.m.) LONDON, June 14. The Government sent the following message to the French Government: “In this solemn hour for the British and French nations and for the cause of freedom and democracy to which they have vowed themselves, the Government desires to pay tribute to the heroic fortitude and constancy of the French Armies in the battle against enormous odds. Their effort is worthy of the most glorious traditions of France and has inflicted deep and long-lasting injury to the enemy’s strength. “Britain - will continue to give the utmost aid in her power. We take this opportunity of proclaiming the indissoluble union of our two peoples and empires. We cannot measure the various forms of tribulation which will fall on our peoples in the near future, but we are sure that the ordeal by fire will only fuse them together into one unconquerable whole. “We renew to the French Republic our pledge and resolve to continue the struggle at all costs in France, in this island, upon the oceans and in the air wherever it may lead us, using all our resources to the utmost limits and sharing together the burden of repairing the ravages of war. “We shall never turn from the conflict until France stands safe and erect in all its grandeur, until wronged and enslaved states and peoples have been liberated and until civilization is free from the nightmare of Nazidom. That this day will dawn we • are more sure than ever. It may dawn sooner than we now have a right to expect.”

NEW POWERS FOR PRESIDENT

SUPPLY OF MUNITIONS TO ALLIES (Received June 14, 6.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, June 13. A conference between the Senate and House of Representatives committees unanimously agreed to a Bill which in the first place will grant the President authority to trade in surplus military equipment, thus making it available to the Allies; second, removing the limit to the authorized number of army warplanes and pilots; third, authorizing the President to place an embargo on shipments of war supplies and machine tools from the United States; and fourth, giving the President 66,000,000 dollars in appropriations and the same amount in contract authorizations to procure strategic materials and train civilian personnel. The conference report will be returned to both chambers and its acceptance is considered certain. NEW CZECH AIR FORCE IN FRANCE (Received June 14, 5.30 p.m.) LONDON, June 13. According to Czechoslovak circles in London a Czechoslovak air force has now been established in France. It will be part of the Czechoslovak army now fighting in France. Already Czech pilots have distinguished themselves in French aircraft units. The Czech air force is believed to be some thousand strong including ground staff. ITALIANS DEPART FROM LONDON LONDON, June 13. The first trainload of 700 Italians left London for Italy tonight. The Italian Ambassador (Signor Bastianini) and his family followed by a later train. There were no demonstrations.