THE VICHY FARCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24400, 11 September 1940, Page 7

THE VICHY FARCE

MONSTROUS TRIAL ENGINEERED BY NAZIS FRENCHMEN CHARGED (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, Sept. 9. : (Received Sept. 10, at 8 p.m.) Describing the Vichy trial as having been deliberately engineered, General de Gaulle, broadcasting, said: “The Vichy Government, acting under Hitler’s horsewhip and Mussolini’s lash, had the, task of convincing the world that France was wrong to enter the war. To this so-called Government the people were criminals who believed that France was threatened or thought France should fight well, and those who resisted this honourable l temptation were selling themselves into slavery without even drawing a sword. \ ’ “Although in the whole world,” General de Gaulle continued, “from Gibraltar to Kamchatka, from Magellan to Behring Straits, not a single person seriously doubts that those responsible for the war are the dictators in Berlin and Rome, yet a monstrous trial has been started in France against Frenchmen, who are being prosecuted for this offence. This is a truly magnificent achievement; magnificent, let me hasten to add. for. the enemy “ One day,” General de Gaulle said in conclusion, “ without doubt there will be a real trial of the guilty party, and there is every reason to believe that many of those now prosecuting will then be in the dock.” A message from Pondicherry states that French India rallied to General de Gaulle and denounced the Vichy Government. \