Evening star., 1945-06-01

United States had agreed to par
tlcipate.
Issue One for Big Powers.
Syria itself will not be invited to
the tripartite conference, the British
Foreign Office spokesman disclosed
although it might be invited to par
ticipate in later talks.
He explained the issue was pri-
marily one of relations among the
big powers warning against Japan,
and that Britain's concern was with
tranquility in an area through which
runs an Allied supply line for the
Japanese war.
The spokesman said no date was
set for the conference, but Britain
wanted it as soon as possible. He
said Mr., Eden probably would repre-
sent Britain and Ambassador John
G.. Winant the United States.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Eden told
the House of Commons: Il have re-
ceived information that Gen. Hum
boldt, commanding French forces in
Syria, informed the general officer
commanding the British 9Th Army
last night that he had received in
structions from Paris not to oppose
the order Of the commander in chief
in the Middle East.
Hopes for Early Negotiations.
I'VE have confidence that we can
now rely on all concerned to CO.
operate in the complete restoration
of law and order, which is indeed an
essential step to a solution of this
complex problem"
Mr.. Eden expressed the hope that
negotiations would be opened in
London before long" to promote
the final settlement of this vexing
problem"
Both Britain and the United
States had brought pressure to bear
against the French to end the
bloody conflict.
Associated Press Correspondent
.O'Brien, reporting from the Syrian
capital, said it was believed that
besides the 400 dead and 500 wound
ec picked up" hundreds or possibly
thousands more were lying dead or
wounded in the narrow streets CT
the old section of the town" The
dispatch said it had been impossible
to enter that section of the town
because of constant rain of
French fire, which had continued
all night Wednesday and until late
Thursday afternoon.
A firmly worded note by Mr.
Churchill yesterday notified Gen
de Gaulle that Gen. Paget, British
commander in chief of the powerful
mid-Eastern army had been ordered
to intervene to prevent further
bloodshed and protect vital Allied
communications lines for the jap
anese war.
A Paris dispatch said the stern
tone of this note had come as a
stunning surprise to Gen. de Gaulle,
who hastily called an emergency
meeting of his key cabinet min
listers.
Lebanese Strike Continues.
The French have insisted that the
dispute with the Syrians is solely
their own affair.
A dispatch from Beyrouth said
Syria expected assistance beyond
advice from Britain and America u
Saadula Jabri, Speaker of the Syrian
Parliament, charged that France
was aiming at domination of Syria,
either by mandate or treaty, and
was using troops on the absurd
ground of protecting communica-
tions with the Far East.
Thus far the tiny republic of
Lebanon has not experienced the
violence that has occurred in Syria.
The Beyrouth radio said, however,
that four day strike, called in pro-
test against what the Lebanese Ma
tional Congress had called "acts of
aggression" by the French in Leb-
anon and Slyria, would continue un-
til Monday. Lebanon has ordered
mobilization of volunteer army,
and has levied special taxes for ma
tional defense. The government has
approved memorandum of protest
to the French against use of force in
Syria.