| Show l' l WONT WON'T VICHY DECLARES Petain Expected To See Hitler For Peace T alk Political Accord to Relieve Nations Nation's Position Hinted Laval Speeds To New Conference With Fuehrer j VICHY France Oct 23 UP Foreign UP-Foreign Foreign Minister Paul Bau- Bau Baudouin iouin douin said Wednesday that all idea o of military action action by France Franceis j is LS excluded Baudouin made his statement statement statement- after fter consulting J Marshal Philippe Petain chief chief of state on reports published abroad that Adolf Hitler at his his' conf conference rence Tuesday with Vice Premier Pierre Laval had i asked that the French fleet take part in a general attack on British forces force 1 Official comment was limited strictly to bare admission that Laval had conferred with Hitler during a brief rief stay by Hitler in France indicating Hitler had returned to Germany Laval was believed to be in Paris Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday Wednes Wednes- day though his secretary had re returned returned returned re- re turned here There Th re were various foreign press reports o one e that Hitler de desired desired desired de- de sired an early appointment with Petain another that Count Galeazzo Galeazzo Ga Ga- Ciano Italian foreign minister minister min mm- ister might go on some secret mission abroad There was no no indication whether he too might see Laval VICHY Oct 23 A INS INS INS-A meet Ameet- meeting meeting meet meet- ing between Marshal Philippe Petain Pe- Pe f tain tam chief of the French govern govern ment and Adolf Hitler is expected to take place shortly at which a new Franco y German political accord will wUl be reached replacing the armistice it was reported here Wednesday ni Th The new accord is expected to ease Frances France's position pending the final peace settlement that will willbe willbe be b imposed upon her by the axis powers at the conclusion of the European conflict providing they I are the victors Just what if any concessions Germany is to receive in return return- were not disclosed here Reports were current early inthe in inthe inthe the day that Germany was asking for substantial French naval and air force fone con concessions in exchange for making her position a littlemore littlemore littlemore little little- more comfortable pending the outcome of the war Matter Left Pending However it was stated Wednesday Wednesday Wednes Wednes- day night that the question of the French navys navy's participation in the war on the side of the axis powers was not discussed at Wednesdays Wednesday's important meeting of the council of ot ministers Furthermore it was stated the French government would not agree to anything that might drive France into conflict with Great Britain After conferring with Marshal Marshal- Petain and other members of the government Vice Premier Pierre Laval rushed back to Paris Pans Wednesday evening for another consultation with Herr Hitler It was believed these discussions discussions discussions discus discus- were designed to pave the way for the meeting between Hitler Hitler Hitler Hit Hit- ler and Petain Where Where- this meeting might take place was not disclosed However However However How How- ever it was thought possible that Petain might go to Versailles just outside Paris The purpose purpose of the present negotiations negotiations between Hitler filler and Lavalis Laval Lava is understood to be Frances France's desire desire desire de de- de- de sire to reach a modus which would replace certain re restrictive restrictive re- re claus clauses s of the armistice and permit France Franc to await more comfortably the just peace that thatis is expected at the conclusion of the European war Fleet Request Seen There are that Germany Germany Ger Ger- many in return for any new concessions concessions concessions con con- cessions to France L Is asking for forthe forthe forthe the use of part of o the th French navy and air force In this connection a government spokesman insisted Wednesday Wednesday morning that no steps would be betaken betaken betaken taken which might drive France into a conflict with England A vitally important meeting of the council o of ot ministers was held Wednesday afternoon It was presided presided presided pre pre- 1 sided over by Marshal Henri Petain Pe Pe- Pe- Pe tam tain the chief of state How However ever eer Laval Lava contrary to previous previous reports did not attend the meeting meet meet- ing Meanwhile Informed sources disclosed Laval's uval's conferences with Hitler are only a prelude to a 8 meeting which may take place be- be on oil Pale Page Four Column On Ons rl 0 I r f r FRANCE FRANCE DENIES j PLANS FOR WAR WARI c I Continued From Pare one On One i tween Hitler and an Important French rench personage presumably Marshal PetaIn Several important points dealing dealing deal deal- ing with Fran Frances France's es e's Immediate future future future fu fu- fu- fu ture are expected to be the subject subject subject sub sub- of negotiation In this later meeting t L Laval val Is understood to be paying paving pay pay- I ing fog the way for this meeting and If he succeeds it may take place very shortly I Coincident with reports that GerI Germany Germany Ger Ger- many was asking for substantial I naval val and air concessions from France the French Mediterranean fleet was ordered to concentrate at Toulon Earlier in the day Foreign Min Min- Minster Minister ister ster Paul Baudouin had asserted France had no Intention of declaring declaring declaring de de- claring war on England After a a along long period of silence on the question radio stations In unoccupied France Wednesday morning broadcast news of the meeting which took place Tuesday Tuesday Tuesday Tues Tues- day In the occupied German-occupied section section sec sec- tion Lion of France But official circles issued strong denials of reports emanating from British sources that the negotiations negotiations negotiations are aimed at driving France Into conflict against Great Britain They said the negotiations nevertheless nevertheless nevertheless nev nev- represent the beginning of a new relationship between France and Germany because 1 Laval for the first time met the most important Germans Hitler and Von r f 2 The conversations were initiated ini ini- by the reich not by France 1 It was pointed cut that up to the present the Germans have appeared appeared ap ap- ap- ap red pe-red rather uninterested In their relations with France This was explained as the result of German German Ger Ger- man preoccupation with the offensive offensive offensive of of- against Britain k f Most diplomatic and military re reI reports reports re- re I ports received In Vichy now emphasize em em- f aJ that German interest IsI is isnow isnow I now directed principally toward the western Mediterranean First news of ot the meeting between between between be be- tween Laval and the German fuehrer reached Vichy through a Swedish radio report of the Berlin Berlin Berlin Ber Ber- lin announcement But it was admitted later that extremely Important negotiations negotiations negotiations were ere under way between Laval and the Germans with the object of ot returning the French government go to Paris Authoritative French circles admitted admitted admitted ad ad- negotiations aimed at stabilizing stabilizing sta sta- sta- sta the Franco German Franco German status might also be forthcoming or even already under way Relations between between between be be- be- be tween France and Germany now now are governed merely by terms of the armistice |
