Page.2
THE
E CHINA MAIL, AUGUST 12, 1941.
HIGH TENSION IN FRANCE All-Day Conferences Of
Of Leaders German Demands For Military Bases In Africa
A team of Auxiliary Territoriál :Seculoo riders .compèted In an Inter-Services motor cycle team trial in the North of England. The trial was organised by the Home Guard and riders from the Army, Home Guard, and A.R.P. also took part. Private Hampson of the A.T.8. was experiencing her first trial ride. Here she is taking water splash.
PREVARICATION
AND
DISTORTION BY VICHY
THE THREAT TO DAKAR occupied a prominent place in London press comment yesterday.
"The Times," in a leader, said "there seems no limits to the prevarication and dis- tortion of facts to which Vichy is willing to descend in pursuit of a policy of collabora- tion with Hitlerite Germany.
“A thick veil is held over what is going on in French North and Northwest Africa, but Great Bri- itain and the United States must be prepared at any time to find themselves confronted with German [infiltration on the Syrian model, involving the use (of Dakar and other bases against British and Ameri-
can shipping in the South Atlantic.
THE POLITICAL TENSION IN VICHY REMAINS HIGH, SAYS THE “DAILY TELEGRAPH,” WHICH REPORTS THAT DAY-LONG AND CONSTANT CONFERENCES ARE GOING ON BETWEEN MAR- SHAL PETAIN,~ ADMIRAL DARLAN, GENERALS WEYGAND AND HUNTZIGER.
ras generally thought that yesterday's meeting would be forced to decide, one way or the other, on the German "suggestions.”
E. B. Wareing, writing in the "Daily Tele- graph,' says that what is actually on the Cabinet's agenda is the demand for "facili- ties" at Dakar, Algiers, Casablanca and Bizerta.
#
The references to "shortening the German lines of communication," says Wareing, must 'be read in connection with the fact that Bizerta is only about 180 miles from the Italian port of Trapani, "whereas the route now used for reinforcing the German and Italian armies in Libya · from Catania to Tripoli- is more than twice that distance.
The top of Bizerta is also less Africa, and Germany was deter- accessible to British bombers than mined to force Weygand to show his hand and offer "collabora- Tripoli.
tion" in Africa. The Vichy
Cabinet
оп
Germans
To cede rights of any kind in Wareing, would Bizerta, says
will mean opening Tunista to the Monday, concludes Wareing, real- Germans, and in effect extendingly be once again discussing who the field of action of Rommel's will win the war. Admiral Dar- troops from Libya into French lan is convinced the North Africa.
are bound to do so, but Huntziger is believed to hold the opposite
Marshal Petain is un opinion. decided and General Weygand's views are probably
much the same as Huntziger's.
"Tho.moment has now almost arrived when Vichy has to de-
and for all between cide once friendship with the United States and that of Germany," adda Wareing.
over
"Complete Calm”
Vichy
THAILAND DELEGATION IN SAIGON
ar- in
The Thailand dele- gation to the Bound- ory Commission rived yesterday Saigon from Bangkok. It is understood that meetings will begin very soon and are likely to include economic discus- sions." Reuter.
PIPELINE
ACROSS
AMERICA
Bizerta Issue
Discussions between the Vichy Ministers which have followed Arguing that Bizerta is the most
closely upon cách other since likely point on which Vichy would yield, because of the more direct Saturday were continued yester- American interest in the preserva- News Agency last night.
day morning stated the tion of French sovereignty
They included an interview yes- the Atlantic ports, Wareing asserts that from quarters close to Presi-terday between General Huntziger, War, and General dent Roosevelt a hint had already | Minister for been given that the United States Weygand, Marshal Petain's Dele-
A joint plan for the might find it essential to prevent gate-General in North Africa.
Other ministerial talks were go- Construction of 1,820 miles Germany from using Dakar.
ing on at the same time.
of oil pipeline system has The Vichy News Agency stated: "These discussions have given the been submitted to Mr. impression of a wide-scale consul-Harold Ickes, Petroleum tatlon, of which the Cabinet Coun- Defence Administrator, by cil meeting expected this after- noon would appear to be the 11 large oil companies crowning point. They have been yesterday in New York. conducted. in an atmosphere of complete calm presaging no crisis. No sign of nervousness has been perceptible."
The
cession of Casablanca would also imply a degree of Franco - German collaboration
which might cause the United States to withdraw recognition the
of Vichy, and confer It on Free "French administration,
Dentz Incident
Vichy announced the dispatch of a protest to Great Britain
against the internment of › Gener- al Dentz and other officers, but no such Note had been received in London up to Saturday,
The Dentz incident is only a minor aspect of the renewed crisis which descended on Vichy and made it necessary to recall General Weygand
The system would be capable of delivering a quarter million bar rels of oil daily into the "New In support of this, the "Agency York area from the south-west. · shal Petain: and Admiral Darlan mentions the attendance of @Mar-
The plans
plans call for an imme- and other Ministers at theatrical atiate start and completion within and operatic performances,
No Statements
mine months, and the formul agreement would become effective as soon as Mr. dekes approves the plan and the President proclaims re-the line necessary for national
defence.
from North Well-informed circles were
ported yesterday as stating the
matter
very
con-
have any meaning. Whether they are really deceiving them-view that any announcement of an important decision concerning selves does not greatly. What is important foreign policy in the immediate that Great Britain and the Unit- future is out of the question. ed States should not allow them- *The hasty exit, of the Ger- pointed out that not only had selves to be deceived Por mans and Italians as soon as the Vichy consented to the Japanese fused. Allled forces crossed the Syrian seizure of bases in French Indo- border was made the basis for China, but also offered no re- disingenuous protests by Vichy sistance when the German and who, calmly ignoring all that Italian forces used the facilities had happened previously, argu-in Syria to operate against the ed that since the Germans and British.
·It.
¿
The Agency also stated: "Con- trary to certain allusions in the Paris Press, there would appear to have been no › personal questions. Vichy is not France, and involved, the talks being directed doog not
represent the French to effective understanding be- nation. but so long as it "con tween all members of the Gov- trois a great part of the French ernment who gave their views on Empire and the French Heat the many problems approached; we must be prepared for any Reuter. betrayal."
The Daily Express," in * 4(Current Matters", leading article, asks what will
A proclamation to this effect from the Prealdent would eldar the way for the creation of a Jointy-owned $80,000,000 ““Na- tional - Defence. Pipeline Inc. the financing of which is being arranged through private place ment of five-year: notes.
Field surveying by aerial photo- graphy is already under way, and this will ensure the start of the Initial project with the minimum of delay, Reuter
Italians had already gone, there "Vichy, replying, said there was I was no longer any reason for nothing of complacency, with the British to do anything about which they tolerated Axis en- croachment, but plumed them-
the United States do over the General Weygand, who has been "The same disingenuous at selves with the determination titude stamps their reply to with which they resisted the threat to Dakar, adding that "Pre- having talks with Admiralter of Agriculture,
"The rest of the meeting, the American demand for clari- British invasion. This they desident Roosevelt may decide to Darlan and Marshal Petain in fication of their attitude for acribe as aggression, glossing over walt for the point to develop. If he Vichy left for Algiers yesterday the Radio announcement, the defence of their Empire.
the Japanese action in Indo-China does he will bear in mind the afternoon, according to Lyons devoted to current matters. as in no way detracting from lesson that Britain learned from Radio.. Vichy Reply French rights.
Words Without Meaning
Not Present Norway 18 months ago Acdord=27 During the afternoon, heat- ing to tradition we waited for tended the Cabinet Council ment,
A Vichy message states that Mr. Sumner Welles expressed
Germany to strike first, but Gering, with Marshal Fetain presid- doubts of their determination to
many invaded in such wholesale ing, at which a report on the General Weygand did not attend fashion that she could not be prospect of this season's harvest yesterday afternoon's Cabinet defend. points. which possession of or use by the Axis powers would "To a people capable of argu-dislodged or even seriously at- and the position regarding ment meeting. He left for Algiers be-
supplica was made by the Minis-fore it started. Reuter, threaten American interests,. nding in this way, words cease to tacked."Router.