Evening star., 1940-06-15
London
Continued From First Page.)

(COIlIlIlucu from F1ISG FdSe)
one of the main highways between
the two cities.
Another French radio broadcast
heard in London declared that Pre-
mier Paul Reynaud was expected
to make statement this afternoon
at meeting of French ministers
on President Roosevelts reply to the
latest French appeal for aid.
Reuters said the broadcast came
on the Paris wave-length and was
believed authentic. However, the
transmitter presumably has been
moved from the French capital, now
held by the Germans.
Reuters said M. Reynaud confer
red with Generalissimo Wevgand
before the cabinet meeting.
Reuters also reported that single
German reconnaissance plane flew
over Tours early today, drawing
heavy anti-aircraft fire.
Tours, to which the French gov
ernment fled when the Germans ap-
preached Paris, had two air raids
yesterday and last night.
With French communications dis
rupted by the German sweep, the
outside world was forced to depend
greatly on French radio broadcasts
for news of that beleaguered coun-
try.
Prime Minister Churchill will de-
liver A. war statement before the
House of Commons on Tuesday, it
was announced.
Decisions Taken Last Night.
A Reuters correspondent writing
from somewhere in France" re-
ported that the Allies strategic de
cisions had been taken last night at
a meeting between the commander
of the British forces in France and
high French generals.
LAS seen from a British military
center southwest of Paris" the cor
respondent wrote, "the situation is
the most tragic since the Prussians
marched into Paris 10 years ago"
He added that Nevertheless there
is complete absence of panic or
desperation.
The Reuters correspondent said:
Some authorities here believe the
Germans greatest desire is to try
and occupy all Northern France in
order to secure an outlet to the At
lantic. This scarcely can be COM
bined with simultaneous drive to
the South, hence great decisions
must be taken by the enemy as well.
I'm this connection, the authori-
ties say, the overwhelming sea power
exercised by the Allies must prove
influential
eliminating Point Near.
Another Reuters dispatch from
Tours said that during the next
"a to 48 hours the battle of France
may have reached its eliminating
point"
Despite superhuman efforts al
ready made by French troops, de-
spite extreme fatigue and heavy
losses, the French, it is stressed in
authoritative circles here, have not
given up" the dispatch said. 1t
added:
"They are still fighting with all
strength left to them, but no secret
is made of the tragedy that lies
ahead if positive help does not ar
rive from other democracies with
the greatest promptitude.
France, in this most tragic hour
in her history, is searching the sky
over the Atlantic for a cloud as
big as a mans hand which would
herald bitterly needed American
planes.
But they will have to come
quickly and they will have to come
in thousands"
Britain Will Fight On"
Official Britain, anticipating an
early peace offensive" by Adolf
Hitler on the heels of Allied reverses
in France, asserted that whatever
happens, Britain will fight on"
While London newspapers rallied
at former British leadership for
"complacency" and fantastic I'M
preparedness" an official British
radio commentator said "the pros
poets of American intervention"
more than counterbalance the
events of this "blackest week in his
tory" for Britain and France.
British official circles described
the withdrawal of the French from
Paris as "a military, not a political,
decision" and predicted that France
would continue to fight. Regardless
of the outcome, however, they de-
clared Britain is in the war to a
finish.
Late war editions of London
morning newspapers carried stories
and pictures of fresh contingents of
the British Expeditionary Force
bound for France. The government,
pledging the utmost aid in her
power" has dipped into home de-
fense units to strengthen the B. E. F.
Army Held Unbroken.
Harold Nicolson, parliamentary
secretary of the Ministry of Infor-
nation, told a Leicester political
meeting that the main mass of the
French Army is unbroken."
Nicolson asserted that this war
will be won" on the seas and in the
air 80 soon as unlimited resources
Of the British Empire and Of the