Evening star., 1942-04-15
Dentz Expected
To Reorganize
French Army
Dorian Is Believed
Scheduled to Keep
Control of Navy
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON. April IS. -- Well-in-
formed circles In Berlin say that
Gen. Henri Dentz, former French
commander in Syria and COM
mander of Paris when the Ger
mans entered the French capital,
will reorganize the French Army
and make important changes in
the general staff, Exchange Tele-
graph reported in Zurich dis
patch today.
The dispatch quoted these Berlin
sources as saying Gen. Dentz would.
on the recommendation OF Pierre
Laval. who has been restored TO
high rank in the Vichy government.
receive shortly one of the highest
and most responsible posts In the
French Army.
The reorganization of the army
and general staff will be in accord
ance with the new policy OF
France" the dispatch said.
Difference I'm Opinions.
While a British Foreign once
commentator said the Vichy govern
ment had been reduced to the level
of a nickel Balkan state" by the
re-entry of Laval into power, diff
ferent opinions were expressed as to
whether that event would cause any
change in control of the French fleet.
One British source gave 1t as his
personal opinion that Vice Premier
Admiral Darlan would keep control
of the French battlefield. his great
est pride, and would not "let any
authority slip out of his hands in
that direction"
Diplomats here, however, took an
opposite view and predicted a COM
plete reversal Of the Vichy policy
on disposal of the fleet which they
described as formidable" force.
They also predicted Japanese
threats to Madagascar of the East
African coast in an effort TO choke
of Allied supply lines In the Indian
Ocean, and Axis moves against
French bases fronting the Atlantic
In Africa.
cat time when Anglo-American
naval strength Is stretched to the
limit, the addition of the French
F, feet to the Axis navies would be
a very grave blow indeed" one
diplomatic source commented.
Value Of Fleet Discounted.
The British source who expressed
doubt that Admiral Darlin would
turn the feet over, however, also
discounted It's value TO Hitler even
II he did get 1t.
The French feet was "efflcient up
to a point" the informant said, but
he doubted that 1t would be highly
eficient in operations"
Observers pointed out that the
French feet has been inactive for
nearly two years, unable to engage
In maneuvers or exercises.
This feet Is known to consist OF
at least three battleships, namely.
the 26,500-ton Strasbourg. the 26,-
500-ton Dunkerque, and the 22,l89-
ton Provence.
In addition there are the $4,000
ton Jean Bart, towed in an incom-
plete state of construction to Casa
blanca in Morocco in 1910 and prob
ably still unfinished, and the $4,000
ton Richelieu, damaged by the
British at Dakar, but able to be
used at that place as floating fort.
In cruisers, France is believed TO
have the heavy Algerie, and five
others of the eight-inch gun size,
three of the eight-inch gun Suffren
class and six light cruisers OF the
six-inch gun La Galissonierre class
in European waters.
She also has her only aircraft
carrier, Bearn, and six-inch gun
cruiser and minelayer Emile Bertin
in Western Hemisphere waters at
Martinique.
| She had so destroyers and about
100 submarines in July. 1910, but
some of these are in British hands.
Her 22,l89-ton battleship Lorraine,
both of her cruisers of the eight
inch gun Duquesne and Tourville
class, the eight-inch gun Suffren
and the six-inch gun Duguay-Trouin
have been reported immobilized at
Britain's base at Alexandria.
Starvation Threatened.
Although the Foreign Once COM
mentator refused TO discuss the
methods by which the Germans
forced Marshal Petain's govern
ment TO accept the previously OUT
lawed Laval, well-informed men
here declared they once again had
threatened France with mass
| starvation
1t was recalled that there were
reports this threat was used when
Gen. Maxine Weygand was forced
from command in French North
Africa.
| The French shake-up came soon
after Adolf Hitler had summoned
King Boris Of Bulgaria TO Berlin
and talked to representatives Of the
Hungarian and Rumanian govern
ments.
There is no need to send for
French representatives" the For
eign Office commentator said. "All
Hitler needs to do is crack the whip
and they do his bidding"
Fighter Blockade Seen.
Informed diplomatic sources here
indicated Britain might show her
displeasure at the Vichy changes by
tightening the blockade of France.
But whatever Britain does to
crack down on Vichy, these sources
held the view that the United States
was able to bring more pressure
than Britain, providing the Ger
mans have not forced France to
steps which will break all relations
with the United States.
Withdrawal of American recogni-
ton would be grave blow to the
Petain regime" an informed source
said. Relations with the United
States always have been a cardinal
point of Vichy policy"
Vichy to Remain Seat