SYRIAN SENTIMENT COMPLETELY CHANGED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue LXXI, 14 September 1940, Page 10

SYRIAN SENTIMENT COMPLETELY CHANGED.

NOW FOR DE GAULLE.

High Feeling Against Grab

By Italians.

l.'uilcil Press Association. —Copyright. (Reed. 2.30 p.m.) LONDON. Sept. 13. The Associated Press of Great Britain .-.ays that a tremendous change in Syrian sentiment in favour of General tie Gaulle has occurred since the arrival of the Italian Armistice Commission.

The French National Committee spokesman in Cairo said: "Resentment against Italian efforts to disarm Syria is running high, and an explosion may co no at any moment. Last month Syria was emphatically /allowing the Vichy Government, but bitterness has been engendered by the conviction that Italy is the first to arrive for the spoils, and that she lias not defeated Prance and never could."

He added: "The British Fleet 'bare the Italians from landing, but if Syria was disarmed. air-borne troops might take control and thrust against the Mosel oil fields, cuttiiiig off Britain's main Middle East oil supply."

Members of the Italian mission are reported to have been manhandled. A colonel's nose was punched and Legionairies jumped on another.

Emir Abdullah, in a speech, said that the Frarfco-Gernian armistice was 'critical for Syria. The Italian Commission displeased the Arabs because no foreign commission had the right to enter Arab mandated territory for the object of maintaining authority. Any

administration change must be to the Arabs' advantage. GERMANY WARNED. Russia Demands Share In Danubian Changes.

RIVALRY OF INTERESTS,

(Reed. 2.30 p.m.)

MOSCOW, Sept. 13.

Vishynsky, the Vice-Commissar of Foreign Affairs, has informed von Schulenburg, German Ambassador at Moscow, that Russia could not remain indifferent to Danubian questions, and must participate in all decisions on such matters.