REPORTED & DENIED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 December 1941, Page 3

REPORTED & DENIED

RESIGNATION OF PETAIN DARLAN ASSUMING POWERS. SOME CONFLICTING STATEMENTS. * (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) LONDON, December 25. A Reuters correspondent “somewhere in Europe” says: “It is understood that Marshal Petain has .resigned following ;upon German pressure to carry out the agreement he reached with Field-Mar-shal Goering on December 2. The correspondent adds that Admiral Darlan is assuming Marshal Petain’s powers. General de Gaulle’s headquarters in London say that they knew some days ago that Marshal Petain’s retirement was “imminent.” Marshal Petain broadcast today to the French prisoners in Germany. He did not refer to his rumoured resignation or to current events. There is no confirmation in London of this report (says a British Official message). The Vichy news agency says that authoritative quarters describe the report as ridiculous. , “The Times” correspondent on the French frontier says it is reported from Vichy that important FrancoGerman conversations are proceeding which may influence the international situation. The “Daily Telegraph’s” diplomatic writer says that Marshal Petain is known to have opposed recent German demands to which Admiral Darlan was prepared to accede. The Swiss radio announced that three persons were shot in Paris yesterday. They had been accused of possessing arms and working for the enemy.