LEBANON OUTBREAK

Waikato Times, Volume 193, Issue 22198, 18 November 1943, Page 5

LEBANON OUTBREAK

ENGINEERING BY VICHY GREAT SUCCESS CLAIMEI

(United Pres? Assn — Z'*c. Twl. Cooyrighl) (Received Nov. 18, 1 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 17 The Lebanon crisis is the result of months of work by Laval’s agents, say well-inform-ed French circles in Lisbon quoted by a British United Press correspondent: The French claim that the whole affair was engineered from Vichy, where it is regarded as a great success. The spokesman of the French Committee of National Liberation at Algiers said: “Suggestions of disagreement between the members of the committee and General Helleus, French Delegate-General in Lebanon, regarding responsibility for General Helleus’ actions are untrue On the contrary, his actions to protect the French commitments in the Levant always had the full support of the member of the committee.” General Catroux this afternoon called on the British Minister at Beirut, General Spears, according to a statement by the British Information Office at Cairo, which continues:

“The Government representing the imprisoned Ministers and the dissolved Chamber has issued instructions to officials not to co-operate with the Edd-e administration. Beirut was quiet during the night. Strikes continue.”