Evening star., 1941-08-31
French Sympathies
Rise for Assassin
Who Wounded Laval
Stricken PoIiticion Still
In Danger; Jews Hit in
Sweeping Nozi Drive
By the Assccis ed Press.

By the Assccia ed Press.
VICHY, Unoccupied France, Aug.
30-A sudden expression of SYM
pathy developed today for Paul Co.
lette. young Norman who put bull
Let so close to the heart of Pierre
Laval Wednesday that the stricken
politician, although improved, still
remained in danger.
The anti-Soviet Legion which M.
Laval was inducing when he was
shot decided to back M. Lavals ges-
ture in asking that Colette be treated
with clemency, and the latest edi-
tions of the newspapers of German
occupied Paris suddenly became
much milder in their attacks on him.
Some even came to his defense.
While the administrations of both
the occupied and unoccupied zones
pushed stern measures to deal with
growing unrest at home. War Min
lister Gen. Charles HuntZiger went
on the air to tell the population OF
British-held Syria that you are the
victims of a situation you did not
want" and to promise them a re-
turn of rule by European France.
'If you can be compelled to give
obedience" he told these people re-
Gently brought under British rule,
Nobody can order your hearts.
exhort you to maintain communion,
waiting together, hoping together,
confident together"
Germans Execute Eight.
AS the Germans continued their
drive against their foes within oc-
cupied France, it was disclosed that
It was a German firing squad-not
French as first eported-which ex-
ecuted eight men yesterday for es-
pionage and activity against Ger
mans; also that the eight had been
sentenced by a German military
court and not by the new special
French anti-Communist court,
In German occupied Bordeaux a
German military tribunal con-
demned a 21-year-old Frenchman TO
10 years imprisonment at hard LABOR
after a house search had disclosed
q loaded revolver in his possession
The court said that he was spared
execution because of his youth.
The Germans notified the public
tonight of Yesterdays executions,
which included that of French Naval
1t. Count Henri Destienne Dorbes.
1t. Dorbes came to France under
an assumed name and organized a
De Gaullist spy and sabotage net
work, it was charged.
All Jews of German-occupled
France were ordered to deliver radio
receiving sets to police in sweeping
measure against opposition to COL
laboration with Germany.
1t is known that the population of
the occupied zone has been ignoring
the German-controlled press. rely
ing almost exclusively on radio in
formation for news.
Controversy Over Trial.
The question of whether Colette
was to lave a regular trial, with full
legal prerogatives became subject
of controversy. An announcement
by Fernand de Brinon, Vichy Am
bassador to the occupied zone, that
Colette would be taken before the
summary anti Communist courts
met with unfavorable reaction, and
the examining magistrate at Ver-
sailles made it clear that De Brinon
had no authority to issue such a
statement.
The usually violent newspaper
Nouveaux Temps Of Paris said
Colette cannot be taken before the
summary court unless he is indicted
for Communist or anarchist &C
tivity.
Unexpected diabetic complications
kept M. Laval still in danger tonight
although he rallied from last nights
crisis, reports from Paris said. A
bulletin issued at Z pm. at the Ver-
sailles hospital said his condition
showed "a very perceptible improve
rnent and he is distinctly better"
but it added that his condition was
still serious.