Evening star., 1943-08-02
Admiral Robert Tells
Of Refusing Vichy's
Plea 10 ScuttIe Ships
BY the Associated Press


high commissioner of Martinique,
in an interview yesterday bitterly
assailed both Gen. Henri Giraud
and Gen. Charles de Gaulle and
warned that Marshal Henri Petains
supporters never will associate them
selves with those who have worked
against the Vichy government.
The admiral also disclosed that
Vichy had asked him repeatedly to
scuttle French war vessels at
Martinique. (He refused, and as a
result the ships, including the air.
craft carrier Bearn and the cruisers
Emile Bertin and Jeanne de Arc,
fell into the hands of the Giraud-
De Gaulle representatives.
In an exclusive Associated Press
interview at the fashionable San
Juan Hotel, where he is staying.
Admiral Robert said he did not
recognize Gen. de Gaulle's and Gen.
Giraud's Algiers Committee as the
French government.
In that" he added, II am imitat-
ing the attitude of the governments
In London and Washington.
Aces Taken From France.
II believe that in not recognizing
Marshal Petain or in separating
themselves from him De Gaulle,
Darlan and Giraud have dealt
France a terrible blow, for without
fastening very much her hour of
liberation they have broken her
unity and weakened her
Admiral Robert said Unoccupied
France, the colonies and the fleet
'the last two sheltered from the
German grasp'-Would have been
able to serve France as instruments
of pressure against Germany.
"Giraud took away these aces of
the French game, thus diminishing
the means Petain had at his dis
posal to defend the interests of the
French people" he said.
Explaining his long holdout OF
Martinique, Admiral Robert said:
How could I sacrifice my ideal OF
fidelity to Petain /. to some gen.
erals whose greedy rivalry displays
the dissensions within the Algiers
government to the entire world,
weakens the cause they pretend to
serve, makes politics prevail over
patriotism? Neither Ode Gaulle nor
Giraud) had the greatness of spirit
to efface himself before the other
nor the necessary ability to rise
above the other. They are the image
of the France they want to revive.
the France we want is new
France"
Refused to Scuttle Warships.
The admiral faltered only once in
his loyalty to Marshal Petain-when
he refused to scuttle the war vessels
before turning over authority to the
Algiers representatives.. He said
this decision was the most ticklish"
he made.
1t was dictated he declared, by a
desire to avoid bloodshed which he
said inevitably would have followed.
"A Giraudist is doing morally
dangerous work" he said. "All Of
flcers and officials in Africa had
sworn loyalty to the marshal. An
enterprise that begins with a broken
promise cannot be a healthy one.
When peace comes France will
be divided, feebler, unhealthier than
after the armistice of 1910. Events
OF the present time bear me out
tragically. De Gaulle had asked
publicly for place at the negotia-
tions table at the peace treaty, we
having been officially informed the
treaty would be the work of the big
three
Would this place have been re-
fused-could it have been refused
10 france. If 1t remained
to the United States hundred mil
lion inhabitants (to decide)?"
Says France Did Her Part.
Admiral Robert said France had
largely done her part in the COM
mon fight against the Nazi ambi-
tions. "She could without shame
have bound her wounds and re-
mained passive. Without doubt, it Is
right to say in the search for the
causes Of our defeat that the ma
terial inferiority of the state from
unpreparedness and the weakness of
our military and civif commands are
accused.
However" in the last analysis 1t
was because of her geographical
position and because she did not re-
.ceive efficient help from the Allies
that France, offered by them as a
sacrifice, collapsed in 1910.
IF there is in nv snirit q certain
trace of bitterness it is for the COM
patriots who are unable to discern
the true interests of my country and
who use all their efforts to. undo
what the marshal has done.
rs this question of reason: Con-
scientious obedience to a chief to
whom we not only have sworn 10y
atty but whose wisdom and abnega-
tion we esteem, whom we know as
guiding with a sure hand our France