FRENCH HONOUR SAFE

Southland Times, Issue 24273, 2 November 1940, Page 5

FRENCH HONOUR SAFE

WILL BE UPHELD BY PETAIN GENERAL WEYGAND’S CONFIDENCE (British Official Wireless) (Received November 1, 7.30 p.m.) RUGBY, October 31. There is full appreciation in authoritative quarters in London of the difficulties with which Marshal Petain is confronted in his efforts to secure an amelioration for the French people of the crushing burdens cast upon them by the terms imposed by Germany. A measure of these difficulties emerged to some extent in Marshal Petain s broadcg.st. recently. One of the outstanding hardships under which the French people suffer concerns the expenses of the German occupation, which amount to 400,000,000 francs daily—a figure out of all proportion to anything asked for from the Germans at the end of the last war. Better arrangements for the demarcation between occupied and unoccupied France, and some betterment in the lot, or release, of French prisoners in German hands are other alleviations which, it is clear, are sought by Marshal Petain in the proposed collaboration with the Germans. It is apparently hoped that the results of this collaboration will become known in the course of the next week or so. Meanwhile there is disinclination here to accept the accuracy of reports that the Vichy Government contemplates large surrenders of-territory in metropolitan France, or in the French Overseas Empire, and concessions to Germany which would amount to a betrayal of France’s ally.

Confidence that the honour of France will be upheld by the aged marshal in these negotiations was expressed by General Weygand. On October 30 the Tangier newspaper, Depeche Mrocaine, published the following from Rabat: “Certain foreign radio stations broadcast reports of France having accepted terms incompatible with her national honour. The ResidencyGeneral has received from the French Government information which permits it to affirm that the said reports are devoid of all foundation.” The following message, addressed yesterday to General Nogues by General Weygand, the delegate of the French Government in French Africa, has forcefully confirmed the above: “General Weygand warns the people of French Africa against hasty and tendencious foreign reports concerning the attitude and orders of the French Government. I ask all Governors and Residents-General to warn their people immediately in this sense. Nothing contrary to the honour or interests of France and the people, who have entrusted themselves to her, have been or could be agreed to by a governrrient headed by Marshal Petain.’ In London this expression of views by General Weygand is taken as a further indication of the wide divergence between the attitude of General Weygand and Marshal Petain on the one hand and M. Laval on the other.