Evening star., 1942-05-26
Italians Send Vichy
Demands for Nice
And Corsica
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 26.-An Axis
squeeze play to get the French
fleet or grab French territory, or
both, was suggested today in
parallel reports that Italy has
demanded title to Nice and Cor
sica and that Pierre Laval has
consented to the training of Ger
man seamen at French naval
bases on the characteristics OF
French warShips.
Comparison of the various reports
brought out the outlines of situa-
ton in which Germany and Italy
each was using the needs Of the
other to seek her own ends, with the
Vichy French government in the
middle, forlornly trying to play on
one master against the other.
The Germans were portrayed as
using the Italian territorial demands
as a threat to force Vichy to give
up the French fleet peaceably.
Seek to Bolster Morale.
The italians were described as
seeking to bolster their home fronts
morale by taking slice OF French
territory and at the same time using
this maneuver as preteXt to keep
at home 100000 italian soldiers that
the Germans would like to have sent
to the Russian front.
Laval. the Vichy Chief of Govern
ment and the man on the spot from
all angles, was reported by diplo-
matte observers to have offered 10
negotiate the Italian demands, with
a disarming offer to discuss Tunlsla.
The Italians have wanted Tunlsia
since before the World War, but
their new demands were reported
to deal with Nice and Corsica, so
that injection of Tunisia into the
discussions would further complicate
and possibly delay matters.
Informed sources in London,
which have underground connec-
tions, said that in dealing with Ger
many, on the other hand, Laval had
consented to the training of a con-
siderable number of German sea-
men at French naval yards and
stations to familiarize them with
French warships. Possibly less than
the Germans want, this still would
serve as a placatory move.
Ships drained of Oil.
These sources said virtually all
major units of the French fleet at
the Toulon naval base had been
drained of oil and did not have
enough Ito reach Algeria in an
emergency"
(The clear implication was that
the Germans had depleted the
fleets fuel supplies to make sure
that it did not attempt to
escape)
The Berlin radio said Laval had
returned to Vichy after week end
conferences in Paris with numerous
personalities and his closest COL
laborators."
Hopes to Avert Shift.
Meanwhile, Admiral Sir Andrew
Browne Cunningham, who has just
left his post as commander of Brit
aims Mediterranean fleet to head
the British Admiralty delegation IN
Washington, said here that it would
be very nasty" for the Allies if the
French naval forces at Toulon were
turned over to the Axis.
The admiral declared he had
"every hope that would not be done.
OF the French naval vessels interned
at Alexandria, he said they were
"entirely pro-Vichy" when he left
there recently.
dispatches from Bern yesterday
said both Germany and Italy ap-
peared cooling fast toward Laval,
and Berlin writer's spoke Of "the
stagnation" In German-French re-
lations.
Coup by Hitler Feared.
One of the sources in London
said:
There are indications Hitler is
planning a coup d'etat to seize the
fleet at Toulin suddenly, possibly
through the use of fifth columnists
in cooperation with air-borne
troops, and then man it with Ger
man sailors
The temper of the French people
Is such Laval does not dare carry
out whole-hearted cooperation as
he knows it would cause his down.
fall" the source said.
The opinion was expressed that
there was no Frenchman the Ger
mans could put in Laval's place and
that the next step could only be
occupying ali of France and ap-
pointing Jacques Doriot, turn-coat
Communist leader, as a Quisling.