The Wilmington morning star., 1943-11-12

ACpOl vs. VI IepGl CQSS1Olo III o'AASA
parts of the Arab world.
Demonstrations Of sympathy for
Lebanon were reported from Dam
ascus, capital of the sister re-
public of Syria, while Egyptian
Premier Mustapha Nahas Pasha
cabled protest to the French
committee against the treatment
OF the Lebanese government.
Dispatches received here said
French Senegalese troops fired on
demonstrators at Beirut, the Lee
banese capital, and at Tripol in
the northern part Of the country
after Lebanese police refused to
obey French orders to suppress
protests against the arrest of Presl-
cent Shoukri ell Kuwatli Bey, Pre-
nlier Rad ell Solh and all but one
of the Arab states cabinet minis
tiers. The newly elected president
was reported under house arrest
with Senegalese guards surround
ing his home, while the other
me 1bers of the government who
we're arrested were reported taken
to an undisclosed destination. Com
munications between Lebanon and
Syria also were severed.
The Beirut radio said the French
commander had imposed curfeW
on the country and that the only
people allowed out will be military
personnel on duty, patrols, JAM
tors, police and officials in Allied
cars.
Helleu said over the Beirut radio
that the French measures were
Drought about by 'plot against
France" in the Lebanese parlia-
ments unanimous action in voting
changes in the republics constitu-
ton on November 8. 1t was report
ed that all 48 deputies who voted
for the constitutional amendment
also had been arrested.
Despite French opposition the
parliament, elected several weeks
ago, adopted constitutional chan
ges providing that only Lebanese
citizens should occupy government
pests. the electoral law should be
revised, Arabic should be the sole
Official language and negotiations
should be undertaken with the Sy-
lian government for the joint hand
ling of their mutual interests.
The French view expressed in
Algiers was that the Lebanon diff
ferences arose from the Lebanese
demands concerning the French
agreement for independence of the
country, which the French regard
at present as being incompatible
with the necessities of war. A
spokesman for the French Com
rnittee of National Liberation said
the committee, headed by Gen.
Charles de Gaulle, fully supports
Helleu in the present crisis.
1t was further explained in Al
giers that Lebanon is at present
not a French colony nor a mandate
but is in the process of attaining
the new status of an independent
state linked to France by treaty.
The Lebanan parliament's stand
was based on the fact that on No.
vember rs, 1941, the independence
of Lebanon was proclaimed by
Gen. Georges Catroux, then COM
mander of Free French forces IN
the Middle East, after his men
lad joined the British in over
powering the Vichy garrisons. The
Arab state had been under French
mandate since 1920.
In his protest to the French COM
nlittee Egyptian Premier Nahas
said unless French policy was
changed and 're-established logl-
cally'' that Egypt would be bound
to consider her position vis-a-vls
France in the light Of events.
Egypt recognized the Free
French delegation in July, 1912.
Ii Egypt's policy was altered 1t is
believed possible the change would
be exceedingly embarrassing to
numerous French public utilities,
concessions and banking interests