Evening star., 1941-06-10

mander of the fleet air arm on the
spot.
If that had not been done they
would have been blown off air.
dromes without being able to affect
in the slightest degree the course
of events.
Have No Territorial
Designs in Syria.
Now I come to the Syrian opera
tion.
Let me first of all repeat that we
have no territorial designs in Syria
or anywhere else III French terri
tory. We seek no colonies nor ad-
vantages of any kind for ourselves
in this war.
Let none of our French friends
be deceived by laten5 German anC
Vichy propaganda. On the con-
trary. we shall do all in our power
to restore the freedom, independ-
ence and rights of France
have, in a letter I wrote Gen. de
Gaulle, said The rights an6 great
ness of France We will do all ir
our power to restore her freedom
but it will be for the French to aid
in the restoration.
There cannot be any doubt that
Gen. de Gaulle is a more jealous
defender of Frances interests thar
the men of Vichy, whose policy is
one of utter subservience to the
Germans.
1t did not take much intelligence
to see that infiltration into Syria
by Germans and their intrigues in
1raq constituted very great danger
to the whole eastern flank of oul
defenses in the Nile valley and Suez
Canal. The only choice before us
in that theater for some time has
been whether to encourage the Free
French to attempt a counter pene-
tration by themselves or whether
at heavy risk, to prepare a con-
siderable force-aS we have done
1t was also necessary to restore our
position in Iraq before any serious
advance in Syria could be made
sibilities of an open breach with
the Vichy government eventually
raised the military and strategic
significance of these movements to
the very highest point.
Above all, the formidable menace
of invasion OF Egypt by the German
army of Cirenaica, supported by
large italian forces with German
stiffening, remains our chief pre-
occupation in the Middle East.
An advance by German armored
forces into Egypt has been threat
ened for the last two months and
there would not be much use in
attempting to cope with the situa-
ton in Syria if, at the same time
our defenses in the western desert
were beaten down and broken
though we have to take all these
things into consideration and I was
very glad when Gen. Wavell re-
ported he was in position to make
the advance which began on Sun
day morning and which, so far as
have been informed up to present
is progressing with very little oppo-
sition and favorably.
German Poison Spreading
Throughout Syria.
This position in Syria was very
nearly gone. German poison was
spreading through the country. A
revolt in 1raq, perhaps beginning
prematurely, enabled us to take
necessary measures and correct the
evil, but again we must not rejoice
or give way to jubilation while we
are engaged in operations of this
difficult character and when the
reaction of the Germans still re-
mains obscure and unknown. 1t is
very easy for critics, without troub-
ling too much about our resources
and often without sense of time and
distance. to clamor for action now
here and now there. One can see
how many attractive strategic
propositions there are even on a
most cursory examination of an
atlas.
Others have said we must not follow