Salt Lake Telegram | 1941-08-02 | Page 2 | Welles Blasts French for Japanese Grab

Welles We Blasts French For For Japanese Grab WASHINGTON Aug 2 INS Charging that the Vichy govern- govern men has turned over to Japan an important part of the French empire empire empire em em- pire the United States Saturday warned France that this country's future relations with the French nation will be governed entirely by the effectiveness with which the French defend their territory against foreign domination A lengthy formal statement is issued issued issued is- is sued by acting Secretary of State Sumner Welles vigorously condemned condemned condemned con con- the Vichy government for permitting Japanese armed forces to occupy French Indo-China Indo and contained an implied warning that this government might resort to action to protect the sovereignty of French territory in the interests interests inter inter- interests ests of the French people if their government failed to do so Holds U U. S. S Security Periled Welles declared the turning over of bases for military operations operations operations opera opera- and of territorial rights tinder under under un un- der the pretext of common de defense defense defense de- de to a power whose territorial territorial terri tern tonal aspirations are apparent presents presents' a situation which has a direct bearing upon the vital problem of American The American government Welles said was unable to ac accept accept accept ac- ac the French explanation that Japanese assistance was needed because of some menace to the territorial integrity of French Indo-China Indo by other powers Welles declared that there is no question of any threat to French Indo-China Indo unless it lies in the expansionist aims of the Japanese government For reasons which are beyond the scope of any known agreement agree agree- ment the statement added France has now decided to permit permit permit per per- mit foreign troops to enter an in integral integral in- in part of its empire to occupy bases therein and to prepare operations operations oper oper- within French territory territory- which m may y be directed against other other- peoples friendly to the people peo peo- peo- peo pie of France Calling Cailing attention to the fact the Vichy government asserted its asserted its de determination determination de- de termination to resist all encroachments encroachments encroachments encroach encroach- ments upon the sovereignty of its territory Well Welles s pointed out that that government did not resist when German and Italian forces used Syria as a base of operations operations' operations operations' opera opera- against the British in the near east but that it did resist when the British undertook de defense defense de- de operations in Syria