Evening star., 1940-10-21
lew French Embassy
hir Aftache Will Seek
Better u. :. Relations
Col. Jocquin Hopes to
Get Release of Planes
Held at Martinique
By BLAIR BOLLES.

Dy DAHAAs DoA@A<So'
In a new French effort to improve
the military understanding between
the United States and France, 1t.
Col. Paul Jocquin will assume the
post of air attache at the French
Embassy Wednesday, succeeding Col.
Rene P. G. Weiser. Col. Weiser
leaves here tomorrow for his new
post as chief of the air force Of
French Indo-China, the Asiatic
state which has become the spear
head of Japan'S southwark drive in
the Far East.
It Is expected here that Col.
Jocquin's assignment to the Embassy
means new French effort to get
release for the 100 made-in America
military planes held since June in
idleness at Fort de France, Mar
Unique, French West Indian colony.
The question of the disposition Of
these planes is the chief contem-
porary question involving France
and the United States.
The changes, the government of
Marshal Petain is said to hope, will
strengthen its hand both in the Far
East and in the United States,
although the government is known
to rest on SO weak foundation that
at the best it can make only faint
display Of vigor in its diplomacy.
Blockaded by British.
The Martinique planes, bottled up
by a British blockade, were bought
at Col. Jocquins instance in June
in this country for the French Army,
but before they could get out Of
Western Hemisphere water as they
were being transported to Europe
the French government sued for
peace with Germany. Col. Jocquin
has been chief of the air division
of the French Purchasing Commits
sion in New York since before the
European wars beginning except
for the interval Of brief trip to
France during the late spring Ger
man drive, which led to Frances
fall.
As result Of his duties with the
commission, 1t. Col. Jocquin has a
long acquaintance with American
airmen. The problem of the planes
at Martinique was more than the
recent French Ambassador, the
Count ST. Quentin, could resolve.
and apparently it is taxing the skill
of Count st. Quentins successor,
CASTOR Henry Have. who had dis
cussed the matter with President
Roosevelt.
The Martinique question over
shadows the Indo-China question
in the shift of the two men, because
the decision to assign Col Weiser
across the Pacific was based on the
prior decision to send Col. Jocquin
to Washington from New York. Col.
Weiser. although he has a notable
reputation as an airman, had diff
culties with the English language,
which lessened his effectiveness.
Vichy ordered Col. Weiser to Indo-
China about a month ago, almost
coincidental with the signing of the
Hanoi agreement of September %,
which granted the Japanese three
air bases in Northern Indo-China.
The air force Of which Col. Weiser
is to assume command consists Of
a small number of obsolete planes.
Indo- China Danger Grows.
The danger grows every day that
the Hanoi agreement might be the
forerunner of the complete loss of
Indo-China to Japan. Weak as
Vichy is, under the unadmitted
domination of Germany, the colo
nial government at Hanoi has been
even more supine than the Petain
regime itself. Col. Weiser at least
will be evidence for Hanoi that the
home government desires to pre-
serve the integrity of Indo-China.
Col Weiser plans to proceed to
San Francisco, it is understood,
with his family Nine Weiser and
six children, and take ship for the
Far East. He has been living here
at the former residence of ex-Presi-
dent Hoover, 230O S street NV. He
has been attached to the French
Embassy about year.