End of Laval seen in attack
Regime of pro-Axis chief expected to fall
Washington (UP) – (Nov. 7)
Some diplomatic observers tonight believed the American invasion of French North Africa foreshadows the end of the Axis-dominated regime of Pierre Laval, Vichy Chief of Government and the No. 1 French advocate of collaboration with Germany.
There was some belief in informed quarters that the aged French Chief of State, Marshal Philippe Pétain, knew that ultimately the United Nations would have to move into the French African colonies.
Pétain, since the fall of France, has been much less receptive toward collaboration with Germany than has Laval, the ranking pro-Nazi of the French government.
Laval has been primarily responsible to the German occupants of France for forced cooperation of his war-weary people with their conquerors. This policy of cooperation obviously covered the vital French colonies in Africa and if they are taken by the Allies, Laval will undoubtedly suffer in some means at the hands of his German collaborationists, though it might be only loss of positions which has been forecast for some time.