VICHY CONDEMNED

Southland Times, Issue 24870, 9 October 1942, Page 5

VICHY CONDEMNED

Former American Envoy (Rec 7.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, October 7. The withdrawal of American recognition of the Vichy Puppet Government would solidify 95 per cent, of the French people behind the United Nations, according to Mr Walter Edge, who before the war was American Ambassador in France. Emphasizing that he was speaking as a private citizen, Mr Edge said: “The Government unfortunately seems to feel it is necessary to continue recognition of Vichy, with which only a smali percentage of the French people are in sympathy. Laval’s intention of conscripting workmen will certainly never lead to a free or rejuvenated France.” Mr Edge assumed that one of the main reasons for the continued recognition was the hope that the French navy would not fall into Nazi hands, but it was strongly suspected that some units were already in German hands. He added that M. Edouard Herriot’s detention particularly shocked him. Vichy radio announced that 18 trainloads of French workers had gone to Germany since Pierre Laval’s recent appeal. The United States Under-Secretary of State, Mr Sumner Welles, announced that the United States was planning to bring to America refugee children whose parents were sent from France to Germany. A Vichy message states that the Germans executed 17 civilians at Lille after a court-martial at which they were charged with carrying arms and carrying on Bolshevik activities.