Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-06-04
Near East
Continued From First Page

Mediterranean and the South At
lantic coast of Africa.
Reports were circulated here, too,
that the Reich was trying to shove
France into the war again-this
time against her former allies-in a
fight over Syria and other parts
of her empire in order to complete
| Frances cooperation in an all-out
war effort.
"a British BroadcaSting Corp.
report last night quoted the
German-controlled radio in Paris
as saying: From the economic
as well as the moral point of
view France lines up at the side
of Germany. Vichy and Paris
mean to behave toward Berlin in
the same way as Washington is
behaving toward London. France
will help Germany in her fight
against the British Empire to the
fullest extent possible without
entering into war against Bri-
tain.D
The French mandates of Syria
and Lebanon at the east of the
Mediterranean seemed the chief
trouble spots.
Planes Reported in Syria.
Reports from Turkey, unconfrmed
elsewhere, said German troops had
entered Syria by sea and that Ger
man tourists were flowing across
Turkey to Syria by train.
Several hundred German planes
already have been reported operat-
ing in Syria. CUnconfrmed reports
were heard, too, in Vichy. that
France had sent $50 army planes to
Syria recently
British newspapers and public
alike are demanding that Britain
act boldly and stop placating
Vichy." Some have urged that the
R. A. F. blast the air bases at
Palmyra, Kayak, Aleppo and Da-
mascuS.
A Vlchy report that British planes
dropped four bombs on oil supplies
at Beirut, in Lebanon, was printed
in London newspapers without
official Confirmation.
Reuters, British news agency,
quoted Turkish circles as saving
every day the Germans are grow
ing more powerful and more active
IN syria. They are DOING their ut
most to stir up religious discord.
and there will be no surprise if re-
nglous riots break out anv time "
For two months reinforcements
Tor 1t. Gen. Sir Henry Maitland
Wilson'S Near East forces have been
moving into Palestine and Trans
Jordan. Troops also have been re-
ported poised in Iraq near the Sy-
rian border.
Some British circles expressed be-
lief the appointment of 1t. Gen.
James Marshall-CornWall as gen.
eral officer commander in chief with
undlsclosed duties might be linked
to British Near East preparations.
Nazis Reported Using Dakar.
The News Chronicle, quoting in
formation from London sources. said
Germany already is using Dakar.
french West Africa, as a submarine
base and U-boats from there have
practically blockaded the Cape
Verde Islands"
The newspaper listed these other
French bases as available to Ger
man surface and undersea raiders
as result of increased French COL
liberation with the Reich:
Sete and Villefranche. on Frances
Mediterranean coast; Algiers and
Beirut, on the south and east Medi-
terranean coast, and Casablanca,
Moroccan base on the South At
lantlc coast of Africa.
Predictions were. heard widely
meanwhile that the House of Com
mons would hold an inquiry into
the loss of Crete, which fell to an
Axis attack in II days.
Minister of State Lord Beaver
brooks newspaper, the Evening
Standard, declared that if necessary
for the defense of Palestine and
Cyprus British forces should occupy
Syria at once.
Are we afraid of war with
France?" the newspaper asked in an
editorial. 1T would be better if we
saw the issue as clearly as Admiral
Darlan CFrench Vice PREMIER"
The editorial said Admiral Darlan
had offered Syria to Berlin as the
next easy payment" of his betrayal
M t1a fr,r f1h IL