Evening star., 1942-11-09
De Gau|Iist Uprisings
Threaten 10 Hamper
Vichy's Resistance
Weyeond Confers With
Petoin and LovoI, Then
Flies to Algeria
BY the Associated Press.


BERN, Switzerland, Nov. 9.-The
Vichy government, having severed
diplomatic relations with the United
States In a week end of rapid fire
developments, mustered its limited
resources today in an effort to fight
of United States forces invading
its North African possessions.
The decision to resist was taken
by Marshal Petain, chief of state,
yesterday after he had called in his
highest adviers to study reports of
q situation which Vichy dispatches
described as grave.
Gen. Maxine Weygand, former
pro-consul for North Africa, flew
to Vichy from his Riviera retreat
to confer with Petain, Pierre Laval
and other French leaders yester-
day and later was reported to have
left by plane for Algeria.
Pledges of support were received
from commanders of various colo
nial galTisons, but there were re-
ports of De Gaullist uprisings which
threatened to complicate their ef-
forts to resist.
Tuck Receives Notice.
Formal notification of the Vichy
governments severance of relations
with Washington was handed to S.
Pinkney Tuck, United States Charge
d'Affaires, by Laval shortly before
3 pm. g pm, E. w. t. yesterday.
French dispatches said Switzer-
land would handle United States
interests in Vichy, now that the
Petain government has severed
diplomatic relations with Washing
ton.
(The Berlin radio reported that
the American Embassy at Vichy
had been asked by the Petain
government to remove the Amer
lean flag flying over the building.
French authorities In Algeria and
Morocco were ordered to close
American consulates and take
American consular officials into
custody, the broadcast said.)
The chief censor at Vichy imme-
diately forbade American press rep
resentatives to send any further
news dispatches abroad, but the
correspondents were advised they
could remain at liberty and continue
to use their Offices.
Both American diplomats and
newsmen were expected to leave
Vichy soon for internment at Pau,
q Pyrenees resort in Southwest
France, pending arrangements for
their exchange. The correspondents
meanwhile remained in their hotel
rooms
The French people received their
first news of the American landings
in North Africa early yesterday
morning in brief announcement
by the Vichy radio.
Message to Roosevelt.
A few hours later the radio dis
closed that Petain had sent a mes
sage to President Roosevelt express
ing his 'bewilderment and sadness"
at developments, describing the
landings as outright aggression and
declaring his government would re-
sist.
France and her honor are at
stake Petain said. I'VE have been
attacked. We will defend ourselves.
That is the order I have given"
Petain said he had received a COM
municatioh from President Roose-
welt explaining that the United
States had acted to prevent Ger
many from taking over North Africa
but rejected this as mere pre-
text"
Reports relayed through Vichy
from Africa gave vague and con-
fused picture of the actual fighting
and the extent of resistance being
offered by the armed forces under
Admiral Jean Darlan, but it was
obvious that American forces were
making steady headway.
Gen. August Nogues, commander
In Morocco, one of those who pro-
claimed his loyalty to Vichy, re-
ported that he had put down a De
Gaullist uprising at Casablanca led
by Gen. Bethouard.
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