Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-04-20
Laval Move
Seen Aimed
At Syria
Would Send Worships
TO Ports Held by British
BY PAUL MALLON

their drive on the Near East in
Vichy.
The point in lifting their pup
pet Laval into the drivers seat
at this time is discernable in the
policies he set forth at once
one policy in particular. Laval
wants restoration OF French
colonies.
1t was clear he was not talking
about Indo-China which is in the
hands of the Japs, or equatorial
Africa. which is held by the
Free-French. Plainly he wanted
Syria, where the British are
standing guard against Hitler's
hopes for conquest Of the Near
East oil fields.
If Laval can get Syria for Hit
Ter. the Nazis will have won a
bigger military objective than
any achieved on the battle front
in Russia.
1t is a plot Of typical Nazi de-
sign, involving treacherous use
of the French fleet. Although
the honor of France has been
pledged that those ships would
not be turned upon the British
or upon us, the honor of France
is TO some extent in NaZi hands.
France no doubt has more naval
strength in the Mediterranean
than the British. If Laval can
get Darlan to send these neu-
tralized ships forth to occupy
Syrian ports, it is doubtful that
the British will be able to stop
them. Such a conquest has an
excellent chance of success.
A ND while it would be done
"A in the. name of France, Hit
ler's soldiers would be moving
toward Cyprus before the first
French war vessel had dropped
anchor in Syrian ports.
Thus Nazi Germany blocked
so far from reaching oil by the
Russian army, and stopped by
the vastness and insistent neu-
trality of Turkey. has schemed
flank attack through Vichy
10 reach the same objective.
Admiral Darlan, the new
commandments of land, sea
and air forces. is the only figure
apparent in VichY who might
stand against this Nazi chican-
cry. He is extremely angry
with the British. but seems to
like the United States well
enough.
He has no reason to be thank
full to the Nazis for showing
Laval in over him. And what
he privately thinks of Laval is
only equaled by his opinion of
the British.
Petain shares these views. but
Petain is too old now to stand
up against Laval. He prac-
tically bowed himself out by ac-
cepting the new arrangement.
He ha3 been subjected to con-
siderable behind-the-back knit
ing by the rest of the Vichy
crowd
He too has no reason to love
the Germans. He once said he |
had but one ambition which
must be realized before he could |
die happy-the release of the
French prisoners. But in all
negotiations with Hitler to ac-
complish that aim, he has been
deceived or circumvented.
CONSEQUENTLY there may
~ be considerable scrambling
for position among the men of !
Vichy. with their variety of am
billions and hates, before Hitler
can get his way.
A puzzling feature of the
Vichy manipulations was the
withdrawal by the French of |
their first communique rejecting
our position. An hour or so
after it was given out, an official
order came through to hold
ii up.
This was done at the instance
of a German official. who told
the French officials he did not
want 10 offend the United
States. That sounded strange.
coming from a NaZi with whom
we are at war.
The only plausible explanation
is that Hitler is afraid we will
move in on Martinique and other
French possessions, if provoked
too far. An aircraft carrier is
there and we could use it.
Laval, either did not care
what we thought or believed the
matter had gone too far TO be
rectified. He later ordered the
communique released.
DATIONING of gasoline Is in
~ the making to begin around
June J.. Ration books will be is
sued TO holders of registration
certificates. and the number of
your car will be stamped in the
book so il cannot be used for
any other car.
In all this ado about sixth
columnists, there is no indica-
ton of concerted campaign to
circulate subversive material
among the soldiers or sailors in
the service. The activity
strangely seems directed toward
civilian morale.
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