Evening star., 1942-04-16
Henry-Haye Expected
To Deliver Pro.Axis
Viohy Note Today
Envoy Hos Appointment
With WeIIes From
New LovoI Regime
p, tls Associated Press.


Vichy Frances Ambassador
CASTOR Henry Haye was to con-
fer with Acting Secretary of
State Welles today and some OBJ
servers thought that his mission
might be to deliver official notifi-
cation of a new and openly pro-
Nazi collaborationiSt policy un-
der the premiership of Pierre
Laval.
Mr.. Henry Hayes appointment
followed by only q few hours an an
nouncement from Vichy that all
/ American residents OF Unoccupied
France had been asked by United
States conSulates to leave for this
country at the earliest possible mo-
ment.
Meanwhile. Senators who have
! been watching the fast-changing
! picture in Unoccupied France joined
in gloomy forecasts that the French
fleet might soon be aligned with Axis
naval forces.
Hitler will take the French feet
now whenever he decides the time
| Is right" said Senator Lucas, Demo-
| crat. of Illinois. q member of the
! Senate Naval Affairs Committee
He has been after 1t through pres
sure for many months. We can
expect direct action now at any
| time"
Urges u. s. to Act Now.
Similar views were expressed by
Senators Bone, Democrat. of Wash
ington, Norris. Independent. of Ne
braSka and Gillette, Democrat, OF
Iowa in separate interviews. with
the latter urging that the United
States and her Allies get the jump
by holding all French vessels and
supplies in port and occupying the
numerous French insular possessions
in the Western Hemisphere.
Axis seizure of the French fleet
was indeed the general foreboding
of all Senators in touch with the
uncertain career of the Vichy gov
ernment because of the return to
power of Laval, ardent collabora-
zionist
There have been critical moments
before in the tortuous course of
French American diplomacy since
the dark day in 1910 when the aged
Marshal Petain asked the Germans
for an armistice,
But this time developments have
moved toward show down with a
rapidity causing more than usual
concern in official quarters here.
1t was Tuesday that Mr.. Laval's
sudden reaScendancy confronted the
United States with the urgent need
of re-examining its whole policy
toward Vichy.
The same day Vichy commu-
nique announced rejection of the
latest American note to that gov
ernment as a document "couched
in injurious terms which tend to
discredit in the eyes of the world
the conduct of French citizens"
Welles Halts Ships.
Yesterday Acting Secretary Welles
disclosed that the United States
had abruptly halted arrangements
for the departure of two French
ships with cargo for French North
Africa and had suspended plans to
send a Red Cross ship to Unoccu-
pied France with medical supplies,
condensed milk and clothing.
Later in the day hints dropped
by the German-controlled Paris
radio or circulating in official quar-
terS in Vichy led observers in Bern
to expect issuance of statement
openly declaring the Vichy gov
ernment'S solidarity with Germany.
And last night the cables brought
news that all Americans in unoc-
cupied France had been asked by
United States consular officials to
leave for the United States as soon
as possible
M. Henry Hayes visit to the State
Department today was understood
to be connected with a communi-
cation from Vichy to the United
States Government. and its nature
was a subject of lively conjecture
in diplomatic quarters.
Some observers, on the basis of
the disturbing reports from Eur
ope, were therefore alert for some
thing more significant and far
reaching than the formal preSenta-
ton of Vichy's already announced
rejection of the American note. They
suggested, instead, that the occa-
sion would produce an all-out COM
mitment for Vichy-German collab-
grafton.
Definite Break Anticipated.
Should such a policy be pro-
claimed by Vichy today it would be
practically impossible for the United
States 10 continue normal diplo-
matte relations with that govern
ment.
For in the statement of American
policy contained in the note Just
rejected by Vichy it was made clear
by Mr.. WelleS that the United States
has no use for collaborationiStS and
would not consider a collaboration
iSt regime as qualified to represent
the French people.
Discussing the possible appearance
of the French fleet in the future
against the United Nations Senator
Lucas had this to say:
Hitler will get that feet even
If it means overrunning all of the
part of France now claSSed as un-
occupied We know We can eX-
pect the worst from his paranoic
mind.
Senator Bone and some other
members of the Naval Affairs Com
mittee took some comfort in the
fact that the French fleet has been
reported tied up in port largely
since France sought the armiStice
of June, 1910, and the fact that it
was believed that the French fleet
required specially French trained
officers and men for operation.
Loss of the French feet may in
Volve many nasty complications,
Senator Bone said. 1T may aid the
Axis effort in the Mediterranean
by increasing difficulties there for
the British while aiding the Ital-
ianS."
y