LAVAL’S DEMAND

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21336, 6 February 1941, Page 8

LAVAL’S DEMAND

WANTS PREMIERSHIP PETAIN MAY BROADCAST I VICHY CABINET TO MEET I (United Tress Assn.—Elec. Tel. copyright) ! (Received Feb. 6, 3.15 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 5 The British United Press’ Vichy correspondent says that Laval has demanded the Premiership and the right to name his own Government. An extraordinary meeting of the Vichy Cabinet to which even undersecretaries are being summened is being held tonight. Marshal Petain is expected to broadcast to the nation. It is claimed in Berlin Laval will shortly resume the active control of the Vichy Government with far more power than hitherto, but it is stated in Vichy that Marshal Petain is still holding out and playing for time. Marshal Petain today received General Studt, the head of the Ger-man-controlled war industries in occupied France. General Studt visi ited the War Ministry with a French ■ military escort. DARLAN FOR PARIS VICHY COMPROMISE CABINET'S DELIBERATIONS (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Feb. 6. 3.15 p.m.) VICHY, Feb. 5 Admiral Darlan is going to Paris to-morrow carrying compromise proposals. A communique issued after a two-hour Cabinet meeting, said: “Admiral Darlan reviewed conI versations in Paris during the past | few days. The Ministers then dej liberated on the general policy.” j It was officially explained tha* the I visit of General Studt to the War j Ministry was “simply a courtesy call 1 on assuming office of German Armj istice Controller of War Industries . in France.”

IN BULGARIA POLITICAL SENSATION RESIGNATION OF BAGRIANOFF G ERM AN Y'S DIS APPOINTMEN T (United Press Assn.—Elcc. Tel. Copyright (Received Feb. 6, 3.15 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 5 The resignation of M. Bagrianoff j caused a sensation in Bulgarian polI itical circles, say the Sofia corre- | spondent of the Times. He was one i of the King’s closest friends and was I most popular among the peasants. ! Yet King Boris approved of the reI signation. It appears that M. Bagrianoff was over-confident last week and made a speech in Parliament criticising the economic policy. It is expected the Cabinet will resign. The resignation will affect the foreign policy. The Daily Telegraph’s Sofia correspondent says it is reported from Berlin the officials there are surprised and disappointed. Professor Filoff’s refusal to agree to a closer collaboration with Germany is regarded as. unfriendly. The German Press has recently oeen hailing M. Bagrianoff as a coming Premier. HATRED OF AUTOCRACY MR WILLKIE’S GERMAN BLOOD CONFIDENCE IN BRITAIN (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Feb. 6, 3.15 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 5 Before leaving England Mr Willkie issued a statement for transmission to Germany. “I am of purely German descent,” he said. "My family name is Willicke. My grandparents left Germany 90 years ago because they protested against autocracy and clfc- : manded the right to live as free men. I too claim that right. “I am proud of my German blood but hate aggression and tyranny. Tell the German people that my convictions are fully shared by an overwhelming majority of Americans of German descent. They too believe iin freedom and human rights. We ! Gcrman-Americans reject and hate | the aggression and lust for power of | the present German Government,” | Mr Willkie told the American press correspondent who accompanied him on his tour. Britain Good “Risk” Mr Willkie said he was positive that no Government effort was made to show him only approved places. He said that when he saw women demonstrating against the system of food rationing he knew who these people were. He did not believe they represented Britain. The correspondent states that Mr Willkie will tell America that Britain will win with American aid. It is believed he is of the opinion that Britain is a good financial risk, with certain restrictions. RAIDS OVER BRITAIN I FOLK GERMANS SHOT DOWN ! WIDESPREAD AIR ACTIVITY Minna! Wi: ) (Received Feb. 6. 3.15 p.m.) RUGBY. Feb. 5 Warning sirens were heard early m London on Wednesday evening an ■ ihe gu .e a on e\ ident. Xu-

I cendiary bombs are reported to have j fallon in one London area, but they j landed for the most part in open I ground and little damage was caused, j Houses were damaged in another 1 area, when two high explosive bombs | were dropped. Bombs are reported i also from a south-eastern county, i “ The raiders’ coming ” was i sounded well before midnight. The four enemy aircraft already | announced as destroyed were shot down in the course of widespread j offensive operations carried out on | Wednesday by aircraft of the Fighter i Command, states the Air Ministry j news service. The first victim of the i day was a Junkers 87 dive-bomber, i which was intercepted when attemptI ing to bomb shipping off the south- : west coast and was shot down by a , Spitfire pilot. I*he raider crashed ; beside a road in Kent and burst into | llames. i Later, a second raider, a Dernier : 215. was caught by a Spitfire patrol ! and shot down into the Channel. Two | other enemy fighters, both of the ME 109 type, were encountered during the afternoon over north-eastern