VICHY DISOWNED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 June 1943, Page 3

VICHY DISOWNED

BY FRENCH COMMITTEE OF LIBERATION ANNULMENT OF PENALTIES. IMPOSED ON COMMUNISTS AND OTHERS. (By' Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.30 a.m. LONDON, June 25. The French Committee of National Liberation took a step of far-reach-ing political significance today, when it drew up a decree revoking and annulling the decree passed by the Daladier Government on September 26, 1939, which outlawed Communism in France and dissolved the Communist Party and all Communist organisations.

Reuters Algiers correspondent says the new decree has not yet been formally passed. There are at present 26 Communist Deputies in Algiers who were sent to North Africa from France under detention. Their full civil rights have now been restored, but their position as Deputies is not yet clear. The Committee has also annulled all trials and penalties imposted for acts committed in the service of France since July, 1940. The Committee has also restored to office all officials who had been dismissed, pensioned or degraded for national activities, or because of measures imposed by the enemy. All penalties imposed by Vichy on public officials are thus cancelled, and they are now restored to their positions. In addition the Committee has formed a special office for Alsace-Lor-raine with a consultative council of Alsace-Lorraine natives attached to it. There are now a large number of refugees from these provinces in North Africa.

The correspondent states that complete harmony prevailed at the meeting. The Morocco radio announced that General de Gaulle presided at a full plenary session of the Committee today, after the arival in Algiers of M. Bonnet, Commissioner of Information.

GENERAL GIRAUD LIKELY SOON TO VISIT WASHINGTON. AT INVITATION OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 12.5 p.m.) RUGBY, June 25. It is understood that General Giraud will leave for Washington very shortly, at the invitation of President Roosevelt, states an Al-

giers message. The full French Committee of National Liberation met this morning, under General de Gaulle. M. Bonnet, who has arrived from Washington, informed his colleagues of conversations he had had with Mr Cordell Hull (United States Secretary of State).