NAZI TROOPS IN FRANCE

Southland Times, Issue 24164, 28 June 1940, Page 5

NAZI TROOPS IN FRANCE

Life Returning To

Normal

ITALIAN TERMS DECEPTIVE

(United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright)

LONDON, June 26.

An American correspondent who toured the war sectors south and west of Paris found the Germans pouring thousands of troops into the area they are now occupying. They are making civilian life normal in the cities and districts around the main roads. He saw long lines of German convoys moving rapidly. The Labour Corps is removing evidences of the French withdrawal and the Germans are sweeping the streets in many of the villages, piling abandoned military equipment in heaps along the pavements. One hundred thousand French soldiers were taken prisoner in the Orleans and Tours region.

It is considered that the French have, by their acceptance of the specious Italian terms —specious in the sense that they appear more lenient on the surface than, of course, in fact they arehave delivered themselves hand and foot to the Italians, whose object it is in due course to annex all the metropolitan and colonial territory they can, says a British Official Wireless message. For a moment their occupation is limited to the lines they hold, which means a small amount of territory on the Mentone front, but this is merely the presage and the guarantee of occupations and annexations to come. Authoritative circles regard the terms dictated by Italy to France as deceptive. At first glance it might be thought that they are not severe, but it must be remembered that these are only the provisions over an interim period before the treaty of peace itself is negotiated. COVETED TERRITORIES Clearly, Italy’s object is to ensure the demilitarization of all zones of interest to her in the Mediterranean and this is expressly provided for in the terms now published. Occupation for the moment is limited to the line occupied by the Italian troops when the agreement comes into force, but by most it is supposed that the Italians intend when peace negotiations are undertaken to occupy all the territories they covet. To ensure that they will be able to do so they are now taking steps to make impossible any resistance in these territories.

Thus, the demilitarization includes the surrender of all weapons, installations and stocks of ammunition, and the demolition of fortifications and corresponding stocks of ammunition. Further, all the land, sea and air forces of France itself are to be demobilized and disarmed

within a period to be fixed, and in addition, Italy reserves the right to demand as a guarantee of the fulfilment of the armistice conditions the complete or partial surrender of weapons, tanks, armoured cars and vehicles of all kinds and the munitions belonging to those units which fought against the Italian troops. This last condition suggests, perhaps, that the Italian Army—while naturally anxious to disarm completely its opponent —is not averse to swelling its own stocks. FATE OF FLEET The terms concerning those portions of the French fleet to be placed under Italian control are similar to the terms exacted by Germany. They provide that the French Fleet is to be concentrated in ports to be indicated and : s to be demobilized and disarmed under the control of Italy and Germany and, like Germany, Italy declares that she does not intend to use in the present war the units of the French fleet placed under her control. Further, she declares that, on the conclusion of peace, Italy does not intend to lay claim to the French fleet. No reliance can, of course, be placed on any German or Italian promise and the Prime Minister (Mr Winston Churchill) yesterday in the House of Commons asked what value we could attach to these assurances. He added that the situation was so uncertain and obscure that he would not attempt to pronounce judgment or to speculate upon it. Particular note, it is felt, should be taken of the fact that Italy will now •have full and uninterrupted right to use the ports and harbours of Djibuli and the Addis Ababa railway. The Italians no doubt hope by his article to keep their crumbling East African Empire alive. UNION’S SUPPORT IN AUSTRALIA (Received June 27, 6.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 26. The Inter-State Executive of the Australian Workers’ Union, which is financially and numerically the largest union in the Southern Hemisphere, has decided to offer full co-operation in speeding up the war effort. The shortage of experienced seamen is giving the Australian shipping companies some difficulty in manning the ships trading round the Australian coast and to New Zealand. Shipping officials believe the shortage is caused by seamen accepting shore jobs and enlisting in the army. The New South Wales State Cabinet has ordered a recommendation that horse and dog racing be reduced by half during the war.

DELICATE PROBLEM FOR SWISS

BERNE, June 26.

A Government statement says: “Swiss economy and foreign trade must adapt themselves to the new circumstances following the cessation of hostilities between France and Germany and France and Italy. We must not be deluded by this appeasement, because although the war is no longer raging on Swiss frontiers/our demobilization creates a delicate problem for our national economy, which must be profoundly modified.”