The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-15
LAVAL IS 0USTED
BY VICHY CHIEF
CONTINUED From pege One)

the people that the change would
not affect French relations with
although Laval was the
who had done more than any
one to bring France close to the
Axis.
Yet Petain, in words weighty
with significance, explained to
France that the Resignation of
Laval was essential for reasons of
Interior policy, for the country's
unity. and went on:
Il remain at the helm! The
national revolution continues!"
The best available diplomatic
opinion saw behind the custer a
growing distrust by both Petain
and General Maxine Weygand, the
powerful supreme commander in
Africa, for. >Laval's negotiations
with Germany. Weygand it is
known, has been afraid France
might lose sovereignty over some
OF her African possessions, and
has spoken out against any ces-
sion. Behind him is the unde-
feated French army in Africa.
Laval, IN the other hand, is
known to despite the British and
has indicated his desire to e
them crushed, perhaps even with
the active help of the French,
their former ally.
Petain, natuN lily, can make no
open break with the Germans at
this time nor even withdraw from
the more OF less vague "collabor-
atom which he has pledged to
Hitler. However, it is obvious that
he feels Flandin, despite his known
pro-Axis views, will NOT 60 beyond
Petain's own decisions in pursuing
this collaboration"
Pierre Laval" said the old
marshal over the radio, 'is no long
er a part of the government"
Then he announced that the con-
stitutional act, under which Laval
would have succeeded Petain as
chief of state IL anything happened
to the aged man, "is annulled."
Petain's successor, now, will be
selected by the council of ministers
if the necessity arises.
Official announcements Of the
changes were read to the press
after a day in which France had
been cut off from all communi-
cation with the outside world. They
were read by Marcel Peyrouton,
the interior minister who now is
a strong man in the government.
1t was he who cut off the COM
munications yesterday, even those
OF embassies and ministries.
Laval's powers over press, radio
and motion pictures were given,
by decree, to Paul Baudouin, sec
rotary of state for the president
of the council. Jacques Chevalier
was named minister of education,
succeeding Georges Ripert.
Thus the swarthy, white-tied La
val, who made the first personal
contact with Hitler after the defeat
Of France, departed completely
from the political picture.
Hitler was told about this some
hours before communications from
France were restored. Petain sent
him a personal message. With La
val, Petain returned only yesterday
from Paris, scene of most of the
French-German negotiations.
The Petain message to Hitler
followed one from the fuehrer
which, with the highest courtesy"
said the ashes of Napoleon's son,
the Duke of Reichstadt, or king
of Rome" would be returned from
Vienna to France, to rest beside
the remains of his father in the
Invalides in Paris. .
Berlin, semi-officially, indicated
its approval of Flandin's selection.
Only yesterday, the German radio
in the Netherlands broadcast an
interview which Flandin gave to
the Paris newspaper LIE Matin, in
Weighing against Edouard Daladi-
er, the former premier, for war
responsibility" and contending he
had told Daladier August q, 1889,
that it would be "a crime" to 60
to war against Germany.
Swiss diplomatic observers con-
nected the French situation with
persistent, although denied, reports
of a meeting between Hitler and
Benito Mussoline within the last
48 hours. 2
On Oct. 2, 1898, Hitler personally
thanked Flandin by telegram for
his contributions to the Munich
settlement by which Czechoslova
kia was partitioned.
Tonight, Immediately after the
announcement of the one-man
purge, new protection groups"
a French version of the German
Schultz Staffel, were on guard at
strategic points in Vichy.
They wore leather helmets and
arm bands marked "GP" (Groupe
de Protection.)
Peyrouton organized this official
group of vigilantes to take prece-
dence over police in the unoccupied
zone, whenever they are called in.
There are perhaps 1000 "GP"
men at Marseille and 500 at Lyon,
many of them members of the
mobile guard.