The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-04-11
FRENCH FLEET AT
 TOUL0N TO SAIL
(Continued from Page D
Above Peace Time Level

TICllClA OCACAlo1fC oGIC1Sti1 10 WCll above the peace time level as a re- suit of strengthening of garrisons, Notifications, coastal points and air force centers, but no definite official figures have been made available re- garding the number of reservists called.
 Since Sunday night, however, a new spurt in the rate of calls was noted as supplementary orders went out, apparently to call back officers and men from leave. The colonial defense oranization also has been put on a special footing.
 Meantime, the cabinet was sum- moned by Daladdier to consider in- ternational developments with em- phasis on Spain.
 Marshal Petain Back
 Marshal Philippe Petain, French ambassador to Spain, arrived unan- nounced from his post today and il was reported that he had been sum- moned to report to Foreign Ministe, Georges Bonnet on the Spanish Nationalist Mediterranean policy.
 Bonnet was believed to seek first hand information:
 Why Italian and German troops had not yet left Spain.
 &How far Gen. Francisco Franco Nationalist leader, would join ex- pansionist plans of the Berlin Rome "axiS."
 1Whether Spain could be con- sidered a likely neutral in event oi war.
 Petain arrived as the cabinet pre- pared to consider proposals tc strengthen French defenses in the Mediterranean and to enlist the aid of Soviet Russia to protect the Balkans.
 Russia in Conference
 Foreign Minister Bonnet conferred with Jacob Souritz, Russian ambas- sador. before the cabinet meeting.
 American Ambassador William c. Bullitt conferred with Premier Edouard Daladier.
 Daladier also saw the secretary general of the Rumanian foreign office.
 The foreign office was receiving messages from all vital European centers. These indicated very extensive Italian military prep arations, it was understood, but tended to explain that German troop movements were exaggerated and concerned replacement move- mentS.
 Balkan nervousness was reported increasing, particularly in Jugo- slavia.
 It was understood that the su- preme war council had prepared concrete plans to send reinforce ments, particularly naval, to vital areas of the Mediterranean, and that the cabinet would pass on them finally at it's meeting.
 Active Russian intervention in the Balkans, in event of thrust by the "axis" powers, was finding in- creased support. It was argued in some influential quarters that Rus- sia alone could provide adequate man power and supplies to aid the Balkan countries to fight off any "axis" invasion.
 Mediterranean Plans
 Though there were many conflict ing reports as to the Mediterranean the understanding here was:
 That Great Britain, backed by France, had already informed Italy that any further Italian expansion upsetting the Mediterranean status would be opposed by force of arms.
 2That France and Britain had agreed that it would be better not to denounce the British-Italian agreement pending fur ther developments.
 The view was taken that to cancel the agreement now would merely make the situation more dangerous and at the same time would deprive the British of the only remaining legal instrument by which they might press Italy to withdraw its troops from Spain.
 Even anti-government and pro- Spanish Nationalist newspapers pub- lished alarming reports as to the pos abilities in Spain.
 These included not only the cur rent reports that Italy had sent more men to Spain and intended to use Spain as an eventual base of op- ,rations against France but that Sen. Francisco Franco. the Nation Hist lyeader, would announce in speech after he made his formal en- ny to Madrid program of ambi- ions against Gibraltar and part of French Morocco.