Evening star., 1945-05-28
French Troops Fire
On People Of Syria;
Tension Increases
General Clash Is Feared
Premier Confers With
American Minister
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
/ DAMASCUS, May 20.-Jamil
Mardam Bey. acting premier OF
Syria, said today that French
troops yesterday had fired upon
the people of Hama" north OF
Damascus on the road to Aleppo
and he expressed fear of a gen
eral clash" between French and
Syrians.
The acting premier issued a state
ment in which he said that after
the French opened fire at Hama,
'the people then attacked the
French garrison"
The French called reinforce
ments from Homs," he said. There
is now fighting in the streets. Com
munications are cut off.
The feeling now is so intense at
HONS that anything may happen
there momentarily, and I don't
know what may happen at Damas-
Gus. The gendarmerie is trying to
keep order, but we fear the Incl
dents may grow into general
clash"
Confer With WadswOrth.
He made the statement after a
conference with American Minister
George WadsWorth and British
Charge d,Affaires Gerald Young. 1t
was understood the American Min
lister strongly urged the Syrians to
exert every effort to maintain order
until diplomatic action in Paris has
had its chance to become effective
There was scattered firing through
out Damascus and occasional deto-
nations from mortar or shell fire
The streets were deserted except
for gendarme patrols, but lights ir
numerous windows indicted that
many persons had been awake
throughout the night.
A possibility existed that British
9Th Army units, now in Syria for
training, might undertake to prevent
further hostilities, should the fight
ing become general.
Since communications were cut at
Hama, there was no word from
Aleppo. Beyrouth was reported quiet
last night.
Uprisings Expected.
1t was generally believed that
news of the apparent French at
tempt to occupy Hama and of the
street fighting there would cause
uprisings throughout Syria and per-
haps Lebanon.
At noon today the news was
spreading rapidly in the capital.
Mr.. Wadsworth has rushed full
account of the developments tc
Washington after talking with Mar
dam Bey.
The French have about 1900
troops in their Syrian forces, and
all but 300 are Syrian conscripts
who were believed likely to desert
in the event of fighting.
The French have machine guns
mortars, batteries of light ar.
tillery, 10 light tanks and 10 ar
mored cars. They have three planes
variously described as old German
Junkers and lease-lend Baltimore
bombers.
American Trucks Requisitioned.
Today the French requisitioned at
least so American trucks bought
through lease-lend channels for the
British, French, Syrian and Leba-
nese wheat distribution center.
They are using them to transport
troops from the Aleppo region. An.
other 10, loaded with poison brar
en- route to the Euphrates region
where locusts are menacing crops
also were comm andeered by the
French in Damascus.
The SyrianS have 1000 police anc
gendarmes armed with rifles, pistols
machine guns, mortars and heavily
armed populace of 350,00 at Damas.
Gus. The Christian quarter of the
town thus far has exhibited complete
loyalty to the Syrian government
and like the others is organizing
defense of its own quarter.