TENSE EXPECTANCY

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21224, 21 September 1940, Page 10

TENSE EXPECTANCY

“WE HAVE THE GUNS” OPPOSITION TO ITALIANS (United Press Asn.— Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Sept. 20 Reports which have reached Madrid from Morocco indicate that there is tense expectancy throughout French North Africa, where a decision to accept an offer of British protection is expected any day. According to the Madrid correspondent of the Daily Express, General Verget, the newly-appointed French Resident-General in North Africa, is having great difficulty in handling the situation. Wholesale arrests have been made of army officers and civil servants. Apparently the arrests have been carried out reluctantly, in the face of popular opposition and widespread sympathy for General de Gaulle. More news of unrest comes from the strongholds of France’s Syrian army, says the Cairo correspondent of the Times. The Italian agents at the three divisional headquarters have been instructed to take an inventory of the French army equipment.

Although this is an obvious prelude to the dismantling and seizure of guns, tanks, -ammunition, lorries and aeroplanes, the two senior French delegates on the Armistice Commission have consented. The junior effieers and men, however, are resisting. French regular troops at the chief training base are taking rifles to their tents at night, and strangers, official and otherwise, are being ordered from the camp. There are similar happenings at a base where the Italians are trying to secure modern Glen Martin bombers. Stubborn Crews of Submarines The crews of two French submarines at Beyrout are stubbornly staying on board, where they are grimly awaiting the moment when they will be asked to come off. Syrian soldiers at the camp of the Camel Corps 'near Damascus are refusing to give up their camels. Ammunition is reported to have been buried in the mountains. The situation is setting a delicate and dangerous problem for the Italian agents who are endeavouring to rot the French army from within. The Italians fear resistance as well as sabotage. The attitude of the French soldier can be summed up in the words: “We have the guns; what are you going to do about it.” The Syrians say: “France is only a mandatory Power here. She has no right to hand us over to Italy.” The Daily Express correspondent on the Franco-Spanish frontier says that Germans have collected over £1,000,000 in fines imposed upon impoverished municipalities in Western France for attempts to impede the German Army. Brest had paid £100,000; Bordeaux, £90,000; and Paris nearly £200,000.