CRISIS SAID TO BE NEAR

Southland Times, Issue 24353, 6 February 1941, Page 7

CRISIS SAID TO BE NEAR

Hitler And. Vichy Government RELIABLE NEWS STILL SCANT (British Official Wireless) (Received February 5, 11 p.m.) RUGBY, February 4. Although only the scantiest information, derived mainly from indirect sources, is available in London, little doubt is felt that the state of tension that exists between the Vichy Government and Hitler has reached a critical stage. Contradictory rumours have been current on all aspects of the latest developments, but reports, which find general acceptance in the Press, are that Admiral Darlan, at his meeting in Paris yesterday, gave Hitler’s personal ambassador, Abetz, some indication of Marshal Petain’s reply to Hitler’s recent note, which has been described as curt and threatening. The Times in a leader says, “everything indicates that a crisis has been reached, and that the strongest pressure is being brought to bear on Vichy to accept the German demands, the precise nature of which can still be only guessed at. “The reappointment of M. Laval to a leading Cabinet position would he a personal humiliation to the Marshal, who dismissed him recently for more than sufficient reasons. It would be an affront to a large majority of the French people, whose opinion of this astute turncoat was not formed yesterday. “But what Hitler really wants from the Vichy Government is something far more concrete and far more important. Unless all omens are false, the principal point at issue is possession of the French Mediterranean bases, and possibly of units of the French Fleet still congregated there.”