| Show Laval Urges Frenchmen To Work Work With With Germany Calls Declaration of War Crime Crime Says Britain Let Us Down and Treats Us as Enemies' Enemies VICHY Unoccupied France April 20 UP Pierre jp-Pierre Pierre Laval new pro axis chief of the French government Monday told the French people that of war against Germany was a crime that Britain after having let us down downin In in the fight now i is treating us as an enemy and that rapprochement rapprochement rapprochement rap between France and Germany is is' is the condition for peace peace in Europe In a broadcast appealing for I support Laval insisted he had no responsibility whatever in the misfortune misfortune mis mis- mis-I mis fortune which has befallen us He urged the farmers to till their soil with the same passion as you would use to defend it and told workers you have nothing to fear but everything to hope from the he regime which is being born born- This war carries in Itself it itself itself it- it self the veritable germs of revo revo- lution He promise promis W tl toyd to try to to- bring to-bring bring ab tI tl e- e salvation of the country The first by the new chief of government came after the first formal cabinet meeting at which Marshal Petain presided The speech was made against a background of unrest emphasized by the German announcement that 30 hostages had been condemned to death at Rouen in connection with a railway wreck in which many German soldiers were killed When I spoke in the name of victorious France as premier before before before be be- fore the war I 1 never thought to humiliate Germany Laval said and I must pay this tribute to our conquerors That they have never tried to humiliate France I do not speak to Germ Germany ny inthe inthe in the language of the vanquished Laval Lava promised the peasants he Continued on Page Six Column Eight Elgut LA LAVAL VAL PLEADS FOR NEW AMITY Continued from Page One On would do everything to reduce to toa toa toa a minimum the restrictive measures meas ures operating against them Every time we can do it without without without with with- out risk to the country we shall try to give you back the freedom to which you are so justly and so profoundly attached he said My return to power means the rapprochement of France and Germany Germany Germany Ger Ger- many for which I have always stood Addressing Frenchmen overseas In Africa Asia the Pacific islands and the United States he told them emigrants who did not refrain refrain re reo frain from giving t to foreign powers still would not be abandon eo It depends on our labor our faith to shorten the arrival of ot the of salvation Laval hour con con- eluded His speech opened and ended with the playing of the Marseillaise Marseil Marseil- laise In a few sentences broadcast to the French people Sunday Marshal 1 stated the duties which he as chief of ot state had delegated to the new chief of the government and exhorted them to stand behind Laval's regime with a single heart Petain placed French civil authority authority au au- in Laval's hands and French military authority in those of Admiral Jean Darlan with thes these words Admiral Darlan who remains my designated successor will assume assume as- as sume the defense of our terri territory ory and our empire Pierre Laval will exercise under my authority direction of ot internal and external policy of our country It is with him that at the most tragic moment of our disaster I founded the new order which must assure the arising again of France Frenchmen your wisdom your patience and your patriotism will willaid willaid willaid aid us to triumph over our trials and miseries Come with a single heart line up with the government It will give you new reasons for far I faith and hope |
