PETAIN’S POLICY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 December 1940, Page 6

PETAIN’S POLICY

CREATION OF CONSULTATIVE ASSEMBLY CAPABLE OF ADVISING HEAD OF STATE. TALK OF RAPPROCHEMENT WITH GERMANY. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.55 a.m.) LONDON, December 15. After a long Cabinet meeting at Vichy, Marshal Petain announced that it was intended to create a Consultative National Assembly to advise him and share his responsibility. A communique later announced that the Consultative Assembly would replace the old Senate and Chamber of Deputies, from which full powers were transferred to Marshal Petain at the final meeting of the Constituent Assembly on July 10. While awaiting a definition of the new Assembly, Marshal Petain has decided to appoint a group from all competent orders to deliberate on points determined by the Government. Thus a decision has been taken in principle to create a political body fully representative, capable of advising the head of the State and sharing certain responsibilities. The “Sunday Express” says it is authoritatively reported from Berne, that the Minister of the Interior, M. Peyrouton, and other Ministers charg-ed-M. Laval with plotting to establish an independent Government in Paris to lead France into war against Britain. Marshal Petain sent a message to Herr Hitler stating that M. Flandin appears to be more apt than his predecessor to pursue a policy of FrancoGerman rapprochement with the support of public opinion. The message to Hitler was in reply to one from the Fuehrer announcing • the delivery to France of the ashes of Napoleon’s son, which lie alongside those of Napoleon in the Invalides. M. Jacques' Chevalier, the noted French philosopher, has been appointed Minister of • Public Instruction, succeeding M. Ripert. Commentators in London are uncertain how to interpret M. Laval’s dismissal and M. Flandin’s appointment. The general feeling is summed up in the phrase: “Nothing could be worse than Laval.”