BLACKMAILING
Strength Of French Air
Attempt To Force Petain To Toe Line
FRENCH SCOFF AT IDEA
Well-informed French circles in Washington scoff, at the idea that France can be persuaded to fight her old Ally,, Bri-
tain.
THE CHINA MAIL, OCTOBER 24, 1940
LEVER
Force In Africa PLIGHT OF HITLER TALKS JEWISH JEWISH ON INTO NIGHT REFUGEES
An Athens report says that 2,000 Jews are at pre-
(Continued from. Page 1)
available as regards the concrete subjects discussed. '
M. Baudouin, the Foreign Minis-
antagonism, wider conflict originated.
THE PRESENT EFFECTIVE strength of sent afloat in East Medi- the French air force in North Africa is believ-terranean waters in a des-tery has insisted on the
pairing effort to reach ed to amcunt to no more than 500 modern Palestine. 'planes.
neces- to wipe out Franco-German whence the much
This declaration is also linked They are in four small steamers, with Marshal Patain's recent mes-. some of which were never intend-sage. ed to take to the open sea.
It is highly indicative of the of Vichy The smallest one is a tiny Yu- present general lines goslav paddlesteamer from the policy, but it is probably entirely.
from M. Laval's
Other aircraft of this air fleet which, ac- cording to one estimate, was originally 1,200 Danube, without accommodation independent
strong are thought to be now obsolete.
SHANGHAI
These sources state that even if Laval were willing. it is most doubtful if Marshal Petain could be persuaded, and there is little on likelihood either that he could persuade the French people to take up arms against England.
In other well-informed Wash. Ington quarters, it is declared that the suggestion was made to the French', authorities many weeks ago as the price for the return of the Government ta Parla, but was rejected.
General belief. in Washington, diplomatic circles is that France]
will not enter the war on the
Axis side.
Many believe that if the Ger-
German Aim
WHISPERING
CAMPAIGN
(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL"}
A "whispering cam- paign" is being conducted among the Shanghai Bri- tish community regarding the evacuation of Britons, mans pushed Laval too far in this
So far, there has been no official direction the Vichy administra- proclamation for any British eva- tion would collapse and it would cuation, although it is learned that be very difficult for the Germans for nearly a week "advice" has to put up any French substitute: been circulated orally among Bri-
Some reliable "circles
tish residents to follow the.exam” suggest that one of the chief purposes and ple of the Americans. aims of the German attempts, to The evacuation of British resi- secure some form of French co-dents, if undertaken, would entail operation is to secure the demo- far greater difficulty than that of bilisation of the considerable Americans, since British ships French armies still fully mobilised are subjected to greater require and on a war footing in Northments for other war work tasks Africa. Reuter.
Havas,
Most of the 'planes are based in Morrocco. Reserves and spares are lacking.
Yesterday's Berne report that France's North African Air Force Agured in the demands reported to have been made recently on the Vichy Government is inter- esting in light of these estimates.
They may give a clue to the methods by which the Axis powers had hoped to get Mar- shal Pétain finally to too the
line,
It is possible that the fate of the French Air Force in North Africa
was raised as an additional black- mailing lever to obtain the "co- operation" of France's Mediter- ranean fleet which Germany and Italy must covet far more than a few hundred 'planes.
Vichy's Choice
The Vichy Government, may have been faced with the choice. of using this air force and navy against Britain or turning both over to the Axis.
The statement made in August that the Petain Government were or had been handing over to the Axis the 800 aircraft from North Africa is not believed.
Probably not more than 150 were in fact flown over to Mar- EROTICHIZATORIALISTIC)seilles-Reuter.
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CHINA URGED TO BREAK OFF RELATIONS
(SPECIAL TO "CHINA, MAIL"), CHINA SHOULD WITHDRAW HER DIPLOMATIC REPRESEN- TATIVES FROM GERMANY AND ALL GERMAN-OCCUPIED COUNTRIES, SAYS THE IN- FLUENTIAL CHUNGKING NEWSPAPER "TA KUNG PAO,” IN A LEADING ARTICLES
The least that could be dont would be to lower China's diplo matic representation at Berlin and Vichy.
On the other hand, the paper advocates an increase in China's diplomatic representation in Aus- tralia, New Zealand and the Middle East Havas.
STALIN TO RECEIVE": JAPANESE ENVOY
Stalin himself will receive the new Japanese Ambassador to Moscow on. Saturday, when the
·latter presents his credentials,
Reu says the German radio... ter.
MAIL NOW SAFE (SPECIAL TO “CHINA - MAIL") All Chinese mail caught in In- do-China at the time of the Ja- panese invasion is now safe in Chinese territory, the Chinesa pos- tal authorities announce. Havas.
AXIS FORESTRY (SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL!) An international forestry con- gress has opened in Budapest and will last for several days. Delo gates from Italy, Germany, "Yugo slavia, Spain, Finland, Rumania, Slovakia, Sweden and Mexico are participating Hovas.
CHOLERA FIGURES Three cases of cholera -two from 'Kowloon and one from Vic- toria- 30 cages of tuberculosis, five of typhoid, nine of dysentery and one of diptheria, were noti fled yesterday,
for a large number of passengers. trip-Havas.
Most of the passengers are wo- men and children from Austria. Nearly all aro suffering from food and bedding condi- poor tions. As they are without visas, they be anxious about their must chances of being allowed to land in Palestine,
Two of the ships are at Candia and Lavreion, and another. has increased the parlous plight of the passengers by running aground in an isolated spot south-east Crete.-Reuter.
of
Special Trains Hitler arrived at the Franco- Spanish front by special train...
A small station in occupied, France, the name of which is not. given, was decorated with Span- ish and German flags..
A special train bringing Gen eral Franco arrived shortly after wards.
%
Hitler cordially greeted Franco on the platform, and then wel- comed Senor Suner.-Reuter.
STOP PRESS
An extensive A.R.P. "black- out" exercise will be held in the Colony during the nights
of October 29/30 and 30/31.
The profix "special" to tojegrama, la used by the “Lunday Herald" (and “Chĺňa" Malt””, to "Indicato' news which is strictly copyright "under the provi alous of the Telecommunications Or- dinance, 1936, and may not be reprint od under any circumstances, alther wholly or in part, without prior ar -rangement,
Printed and Published for the Proprietors, The Newspaper En terprise Ltd., by GonDon Cads BUBNITT, at Windsor House, Victoris, Hour Hon