PETAIN'S DESIRE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 January 1941, Page 6

PETAIN'S DESIRE

AVOIDANCE OF DIVISIONS IN FRANCE EFFECT OF RECONCILIATION WITH LAVAL. NO CHANGE IN POLICY. 'Ey Telegraph—Press A ssociation—Copyright j (Received This Day. 11.30 a.m.) LONDON. January 20. The Associated Press of Great Britain Vichy correspondent states that an authorised source says the domestic and foreign policy of France will not be changed by the reconciliation of Marshal Petain and M. Laval. The marshal remains Chief of France, occupied, unoccupied and overseas. No matter who Ministers may be, they will be responsible to him. The Vichy radio broadcast a communique stating that:—"For reasons of high domestic policy. Marshal Petain decided on December 1.3 to dispense with the assistance of M. Laval. These reasons, owing to circumstances, could not be clearly explained to the French nation. This led to many rumours and some unrest, which several Paris newspapers, favoured by the difficulties of the moment, did not fail to exploit and’ enlarge. Marshal Petain desires more] than ever to avoid the danger of division and wants more than ever to dispel misunderstandings which might prejudice relations between the authorities of the occupied territories and the French Government. It is for this reason that Marshal Petain insisted on having an interview with M. Laval.’’

According to another agency. a Vichy commentator said Marshal Petain met M. Laval “for imperious reasons of home policy and the marshal s desire to strengthen the union of all the French."