STORMY MEETINGS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 22, 28 January 1943, Page 2

STORMY MEETINGS

HITLER AND LAVAL FRENCHMAN HECTORED. Sydney, Jan. 19. The special correspondent ot The Times on the French frontier describes interesting details of meetings between Hitler and Laval, leader oi the French State, on an authority which, he says, should be well informed on the subject. This is reported by a London representative ot the Sydney Morning Herald. Laval throughout was treated as a Prisoner at the -bar and hectored by oering, who overwhelmed him with vehement personal reproaches—table thumping at the same time —and with humiliating insults directed against the Vichy regime for the role played by part of the French Army after the armistice. Goering Interjects. The correspondent continues: "It is said that Laval began protesting vigorously against the personal indignities to which he was subjected. He declared that if he was left with so little liberty of action, not even sufficient to give an appearance oi authority, it was impossible to maintain any useful collaboration. “Speaking for Marshal Petain, he recalled that France had been accorded the right to possess her own army by Hitler himself. Goering shouted: ‘lt is out of the question. The Axis Powers would never, never permit that. They have had enough of French generals and broken words of honour. France will never again possess an army.’ “Hitler interjected that Laval had behaved exactly like Hr. Dollfuss (murdered Chancellor of Austria), to whom Hitler had written many friendly letters, but who continued to double-cross him. Hitler warned Laval that he now had his very last chance." Demand tor French Army. The interview continued on the same humiliating lines, although it is said that Laval promptly and unequivocally replied to Goering’s demands for recruitment of a new French Army for fighting in Russia completely under German control. 1 "Laval refused, says that Frenchmen would never volunteer to light against Russia. Goering substituted a demand that a legion should be raised to tight against British and Americans in North Africa, which, it is stated, Laval accepted in principle, proviced that the legion was organised and controlled by the Vichy Government. “The Germans left Laval’s stipulations iii abeyance, ignoring his statement that Vichy could not allow recruiting for an African legion unless it was safeguarded against the risk that it might be a force with which Jacques Doroit might be able to seize power in France.”