The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-03-10
vIcHY IN The MIDDLE

Americas future relations with
france is TO be decided by thu
Vichy government, II Vichy
wishes 10 avoid a break In diplo-
matte relations with the United
States. no further military aid can
be given the Axis forces in Libyd
or anywhere else, according TO the
Wells statement concerning the
situation.
The American government has
accepted Nichy's assurances OF
neutrality with the promise thai
no military assistance will be rem
dered the Axis powers. We have
gone on the record publicly as well
as automatically with the warning
that friendly relations are ''predi-
cated" entirely on those assur-
ances.
President Roosevelt. in his pers-
onal message to Marshal Henri
Petain. further has served notice
that IL the Nichy government rend-
.ers any more aid to the Axis pow
ers, IL will be considered in the
category of governments which are
directly assisting the declared enc
mics OF the people OF the United
States"
Vichy denies that It has render
ed any military assistance to the
Axis forces in Libya beyond the
terms OF the arnistice agreements
with Germany and Italy. Ii admits
shipping Italian trucks and some
food and wine from metropolitan
France and Tunisia 10 Libya, but
II contends the trucks were de-
livery and not military vehicles.
One OF the important questions
on which the American govern
ment is seeking Qualification Is
Vichy's definition OF what consti-
tutes war supplies. But there isn't
much room for argument on the
question in view OF our contention
that anything which tends to help
the enemy's war effort. whether 1t
be trucks or tomatoes, constitutes
war supplies.
Other questions on which we
ask Qualification from Vichy are
the purpose OF the movement Of
the French battleship Dunkerque
across the Mediterranean from Al
gisrs 10 Toulon, and the trade agree
ment which is repeatedly being ns-
gotiated between French lndo-
China and Japan.
The American government IS par
ticularly concerned over reports
that Japan may obtain indirect use
Of French merchant ships now y
ing idle in the ports OF France
Far Eastern colonies. Niehy IS
eager TO have those ships resume
operations. Talks have been go-
ing on with Japan concerning the
possible use Of these vessels for
commercial purposes between the
China coast and japanese ports.
Vichy has taken the position that
Il is better TO put the ships into
service on a trade run than TO risk
having the Japanese "requisition'
the vessels and use them as troop
transports or for other war pur-
poses. This government, however,
objects 70 the ships being used in
any way, trade or otherwise. which
might directly or indirectly help
the japanese war effort. There
will be many other issues. and
when 1t comes to definite choice be
tween demands Of Germany and
counter demands Of the United
States the officials Of Vichy will
be in the middle with A sharp diff.
ference Of opinion as the best
way 10 Jump.
Many French people are de-
termined 70 eventually regain their
freedom. but for tho present they
seem 10 be virtual prisoners Of
the German dictator What they
may wish to do in this crisis and
what their government decides they
must do may be quite different.
With England bombing French
ports it seems quite clear that the
French have more trouble ahead
regardless OF what they do. They
can hardly resist active partici.
patton in the war and the force Of
Hitler's armies Is likely 10 be a
deciding factor, much as the pee
pie would like 10 side with England
and the United States.