| Show U. U S. S Challenge to Vichy Carries Threat of War WarBy By H. H O. O THOMPSON WASHINGTON May 5 UP The UP-The The United States forcefully challenged Pierre Laval a and d the other colla collaborationist politicians of Vichy France Tuesday y It associated itself and all the united nations with the British naval and military force which arrived off Madagascar strategic French island in the southwest Indian Indian Indian In In- dian ocean in Tuesdays' Tuesdays dawn for forthe forthe forthe the purpose of taking over The United States note made plain to Vichy that it and the other nations had of Jio permitting Madagascar to pl play y the he same role in Japanese strategy of conquest that another French c formerly under Vichy French control played Vichy 5 permitted the Japanese to o share in the defense of French Trench Indo The Japanese immediately made ma-de it a base for military operations which made possible in large measure her conquest of British Malaya the Dutch East Indies Thailand and Burma Laval is said to feel that he can play one game with the British and md with ith the United States th that t he can collaborate with the axis against Britain ain and at the same time maintain a semblance sem- sem blance of r relations lations with America If f these reports are true his plan plans is s now wrecked Gaston Hen Henri-Haye Henri i Haye the French ambassador was summoned to the I on Page Two S Column Two Sleepy City Awoke to Find British Forces Hammering at Gates t iF y J Y Y I S r 55 1 a S 'S 4 h A jj P r S 4 St S 1 1 1 to vi S S S Sg g S-S S 5 4 f 45 4 I iM 1 S i 5 5 S S S 'S S 5 k S S S t O S S 4 S 'S S iS-S- S 5 t It 4 l q 4 Associated Press W STREET SCENE IN DIEGO SUAREZ IMPORTANT PORT ON VICHY FRANCES ISLAND OF MADAGASCAR the t e t taxicabs of the Orient also are a re popular in this city off Africa's Africa east ea t coast British Commandos Navy Air Uni Uni I Join in Attack on Madagascar I L' L from Page One of British forces on Courier bay They were I First The united nations having decided decided decided de de- de- de to forestall a Japanese move against the French naval base of I Diego Suarez in Madagascar a combined British naval and military military mili mill tary force arrived off the island at dawn this morning It has been made clear to French authorities in Madagascar that the united nations have no intention of interfering with the French status of the territory which will remain French and will continue to be part of the French empire S Landing Reported Second I Reports have been received I from the British force commander indicating that our for forces es landed I in Courier bay Madagascar covered covered cov coy ered by naval aircraft aircraft- with the the- intention of proceeding across the isthmus to the naval base of Diego Suarez Little opposition was It is to be hoped that French authorities will accept the offer of the united nations to help in inthe inthe inthe the defense of the islands against axis aggression The naval forces off the island were commanded by Vice Admiral E. E N. N The military force which consists consists consists con con- of regular troops and a small contingent of special service troops was commanded by Major General R. R G. G Sturges royal ma ma- rines Vichy General Guillemet commands commands com corn mands the few battalions of native native native na na- na- na tive white officered troops totaling totaling totaling total total- ing perhaps men The sister cruisers Montcalm and Marseillaise tons with nine inch 6 guns each and the ton submarine depot ship Jules Verne arrived at Diego Suarez recently A British military commentator said of General Guillemet Obviously he has Vichy tendencies tendencies cies des or he wouldn't be there If he is hostile to us that is another question Didn't Trust Laval LavalA A British diplomatic commentator tor in the first nonmilitary announcement announcement announcement an an- on the united nations decision to land forces in Madagascar Madagascar Mada Mada- gascar said The decision was taken because it would have been the height of folly to suppose that the Vichy government would lift a finger to resist the Japanese threat Since Pierre Pierr Laval's return to power at Vichy the thre threat t to Madagascar has been considerably I intensified particularly with the presence of the Japanese admirals in Vichy the commentator said He declined to specify how the island would be administered Things are still very much in inthe inthe inthe the operational stage and for us to attempt to define the future status would be tempting providence providence providence provi provi- dence he explained I r prefer to touch wood Status Left Vague Well informed quarters expressed expressed ex ex- pressed belief that the united nations nations nations na na- na- na were deliberately vague regarding regarding regarding re re- re- re garding the status of the island leaving themselves latitude to act according to stand even evento evento evento to the extent of leaving Vichy some nominal control if it submitted submitted submitted sub sub- to allied control as it had submitted wh when n French Indo-China Indo was taken over by the Japanese It was suggested also that the allies themselves with Britain or South Africa acting would assume control instead of hantling handing the island over to the Free French General de Free French national committee met here urgently urgently urgently ur ur- ur- ur gently this morning All a spokesman spokes spokes- man would say was We are arc in complete agreement with the move U. U S. S Maintains l Relations It was noted in view of the fact that Britain alone made the move against Madagascar though in behalf of the united nations that the United States still maintained its precarious relations with Vichy For the present however as the British diplomatic spokesman put it Madagascar was distinctly in inthe inthe inthe the strategic field Our experience even before Laval was restored proved the theun un readiness of the Vichy government government government govern govern- ment to take any measures to prevent prevent pre pre- vent its outlying possessions from being used by the axis powers as bases or stepping stones for purposes purposes purposes pur pur- poses of axis strategy Laval and Petain who received the Japanese admirals Monday l said officially that no military or political questions had been discussed discussed discussed dis dis- dis- dis cussed with them It was noted that Petain also conferred Monday with Admiral Jean Francois Darlan Vichy commander commander com cam mander in chief of land sea and air forces and General Eugene Bridoux secretary of state for war U. U S. S Warships on Move Interest in the Madagascar coup and Vichy reaction to it were in increased increased increased in- in creased by a Rome report that the Unit United d States battleships Washington Washington Washington Wash Wash- ington and North Carolina had passed through the Mediterranean nean and gone on via the Suez canal toward the Indian ocean Interesting also were reports that unidentified planes had flown over Toulon the French Mediterranean Mediterranean naval base and Marseilles the great Mediterranean port Sunday Sunday Sunday Sun Sun- day night and had flown over Vichy itself and near-by near Clermont Ferrand Monday night and were fired at by French antiaircraft guns It was indicated that the British would hardly attempt to OC the whole island miles 1 I and of an average Width id ot miles the miles the fourth largest islan the world after Greenland Ii Guinea and Borneo which Borneo which haS hai area of square mile railed Aside from Diego Suarez is the naval base o ori northwest coast the capital li Ire land 90 miles from the east i co coat at the end of a railroad from Br Er aville M I Madagascar is miles at ff at nearest point from PortuS East Africa It is 2353 sea from Bombay British Maui Mauri l is miles east British Rei Re J island miles east the Brit Seychelles miles to the theon Eon 5 E on the route to Bombay All AIL ir naval stations j t Madagascar its terraced j rising to feet from th the i ested coastal fringe has b bee bt t French colony since 1896 1 It was named by Marco Poll Pol who in his travels travels' had learned it from the Arabs confused It y the kingdom of o oa i African coast and then girl garb the name into Ma I gascar m I For years it was a refuge and one of them j Jt proclaimed himself kJ It lies just south of the eq equal t Its rainy season lasts froth froni vember to April and a dry co cool season L is ft starting I |
