DARLAN BROADCASTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 May 1941, Page 5

DARLAN BROADCASTS

SOME BOLD ASSERTIONS WOULD NOT GIVE UP FLEET TO ANYBODY. DEMANDS BY HITLER DENIED. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Dav. 9 a.m.) VICHY. May 23. . Admiral Darlan, broadcasting to the nation, asserted that Herr Hitler had not asked for the surrender of the French Fleet and added: ■ “The whole world knows, and the British better than anybody, that *’l would not give up the fleet to anybody. Herr Hitler has not asked the French to declare war on Britain nor has he demanded any colonial territory.” Germany had no reason to make such a request, said Admiral Darlan. Germany had started the war on her own and considered she was capable of finishing it on her own. France was free to choose the path she wished to follow, he continued. He reminded his people of the disastrous defeat the nation had suffered, and commented on the record of French Governments from 1911) to 1939. WARMLY APPROVED MR EDEN’S STATEMENT ON VICHY. FRANCE HELPING GERMANY ON GREAT SCALE. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY. May 22. Prominence is given in the whole evening Press of London tonight to the strong declaration of policy on British relations with

the Vichy Government made in the House of Commons by the ~~ Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr Eden. Approval is warmly expressed of his statement that “if the Vichy Government. in pursuance of its declaration of collaboration with the enemy, takes action or permits action detrimental to our conduct of the war or designed to assist the enemy’s war effort, we' shall paturally hold ourselves free to attack the enemy wherever he may be found, and in so doing we shall no longer feel bound to draw any distinction between occupied and unoccupied territory.” Added point is given to Mr Eden's declaration by the information gained from authoritative circles in London that not only is clear evidence available that the lower passages of the Rhone have been used to pass out German E-boats into the Mediterranean but also that the British Government has for a long time known that French industry has been working for the enemy on a considerable scale. Tanks and submarines tire being repaired, while the French motor-car industry is turning out aircraft. At least 20 firms in unoccupied France are turning out aircraft components, motor-boats, tank parts and munitions for the Germans. At the same time the Germans are taking considerable parts of cargoes being unshipped at Marseilles, some of which include vital raw materials, for war purposes. WORK FOR NAZIS ‘ AND SUPPLY OF MATERIALS. NEED FOR TIGHTER BLOCKADE. LONDON. May 23. It is authoritatively stated that onequarter of the French mechanical electrical industry is working for the Germans. It is estimated that 80 per cent of the cargoes arriving at Marseilles are passing on to Germany. Germany is receiving chiefly groundnuts through Marseilles, from which she derives fats. The French, moreover, have detained since the armistice, 250.000 tons of British and Allied shipping, most of which was at Casablanca, Dakar, and Marseilles. In a recent six-week period, the following goods reached Germany from the unoccupied zone: Aluminium. 10,000 tons; magnesium, 8000 tons; bauxite, 38.000 tons; wool, 30,000 tons; fruit. 60.000 tons. The "Daily Telegraph” asserts that as the result of these disclosures. Britain henceforth will rigidly enforce the blockade against France. Britain hitherto has been technically blockading the whole of France, but because of diplomatic considerations and naval limitations, the blockade was not complete.