DARLAN HATED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 August 1941, Page 5

DARLAN HATED

- ■■ MANY SIGNS OF DISCORD IN FRANCE INFLUENCE OF PETAIN NEGATIVE LIMITS ON SUBSERVIENCE TO NAZIS. WIDESPREAD SABOTAGE IN INDUSTRY. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, August 19. Hurl her signs of Hie widening gulf between \ iehy and the French people may be seen in an announcement that several. French senators and deputies who for a Ion”’ time have been deprived of any Parliamentary rights have now been put under “administrative arrest” for open criticism of Marshal Petain's Government.

This is reported by a correspondent of "The Times" who was formerly with the French forces. He adds that Admiral Darlan, who is ruling only through the power of his police, backed up by the Gestapo and the German army, is mistrusted and hated.

The walls throughout France bear the inscription “Down with Darlan.” Marshal Petain arouses mixed feelings of respect and pity, the correspondent continues. His influence is negative; he prevents or delays a revolt, but he is unable to create true collaboration.

Within the Government itself the Vichyites dislike and mistrust one another. General Huntziger detests Admiral Darlan. General Bergerot’s personal position is precarious. M. Barthelemy is honest but is regarded as uncourageous.

General Nogues, commander ih Morocco. is waiting and ready to support the strongest side. The commander-in-chief in French Africa. General Weygand, is the greatest Vichy enigma. It is. believed that Admiral Darlan will not dare to take up arms against the Allies in face of the almost unanimous opposition of the French people. Vichy’s action in Syria was extremely unpopular, and a relinquishment of the bases of Casablanca and Dakar to the Germans would be a challenge to the French nation and French army, the correspondent adds. Marshal Petain, addressing the State Council at Vichy today, when his Ministers and other officials swore allegiance to him personally, declared, “You are either for me or against me. The time foi’ hedging is past. Only a few senseless persons dream of a return to the regime in which they were profiteers. I am convinced that the national revolution will triumph for a greater France and a greater Europe." “The Times” correspondent on the French frontier quotes a Swiss dispatch from Berlin stating that the Germans have announced that the French prisoners who were temporarily liberated for the harvest in France are now definitely free. More than 1,000.000 French prisoners are still in the German camps, and most are engaged in the German harvest or in factories. Because of the war against Britain and the general requirements, it is stated, it is impossible to grant further liberations.

The Vichy representative of the Associated Press of Great Britain says a sabotage scare is gripping the Paris Press as the result of sabotage on railways and in factories. “L'Oeuvre" declares that the workers, partly under the influence of the Bolshevik and De Gaullist propaganda summoning them not to produce for Germany, have brought about a state of affairs in French industry where the quality of work has gone down and the productivity is low.