Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-07-14
France Queries j. ).
On Attitude Toward
American Colonies
Nozi Conditions Sought
For Governments Return
To Puris or Versailles
Sy the Associated Press.

vICHY, France, July 10. - The
authoritarian Petain-Laval govern
ment of France sought the answers
tonight to two important questions:
the United States attitude toward
French colonies in the Western
Hemisphere, and the German condi-
tior.s under which The French gov
eminent may return to Nazi-held
Paris and Versailles.
On the former, Foreign Ministry
sources said an inquiry had been
sent to Washington. No reply has
been received, but this is laid here
to poor communications.
Frances possessions III the West
ern Hemisphere are the islands of
st. Pierre and Miquelon, of the
coast of Canada, with a combined
area Of SO square miles and a popu-
iation of Ats; the West Indian Is
lands of Martinique and Guade-
loupe, total area of 986 square
miles and population OF more than
half million; French Guiana and
mini, on the coast of South Amer
lea. with an area of 65,041 square
miles and a population of about
37,005: and the small islands of
Marie Galante, Les Saintes, Desir-
ade, st. Barthelemy and ST Martin,
in the Leeward group under the
jurisdiction of Guadeloupe.
Martinique has been virtually
blockaded by the British since
French British relations were dis
rupted.
Full Liberty Demanded.
On the return to Paris or YER
sailles, Leon Noel, Petain's plenipo-
Tertiary in the German-occupied
portion of France, returned from
Paris for consultations out it was
not disclosed what he brought
Authorized circles said the gov
ernment's desire to go to Paris and
Versailles depends on assurances of
complete liberty Of action and
q French-controlled means of COM
munication with the rest of France.
The Petain-Laval program calls
for transfer of the seat of govern
ment to the palace at Versailles and
most of the ministries back to the
left bank of the Seine in Paris, with
the Germans to move out of this
area. The change possibly would
occur in two weeks.
In addition to these questions, the
French government confronts the
great problems of getting millions
of refugees back to their homes and
setting industry and agriculture to
work again.
French refugees. officially esti-
mated at 100000, are trickling
back home.
Operations are being re-estab-
lished on the Toulouse-Par Rail-
road, and thus a mass return of
capital residents is in immediate
prospect.
Farmers Demobilized First.
The government intends to devote
its energy to building French re-
covery as a primarily agricultural
country. To further this end farm
workers are the first to be de-
modified from the army.
A kind of inner economic cabinet
will be formed to coordinate the
restoration of operations in essential
industries.
The public learned today that
Germany had agreed to a revision
of the armistice clauses to place
certain sea and river ports from
the mouth of the Seine to Bidassao.
on the Spanish frontier, under
French naval supervision, with the
right to organize local defense.
Nantes, Rouen and Bordeaux
were mentioned especially. Unoc-
cupied Mediterranean and French
& African ports have the same status.
j 1t also was reported that the gov
! eminent will hitch the French franc
to the American dollar, at a rate of
Z about 43.40, transferring it from
the English pound,