The Pittsburgh Press (August 10, 1941)
U.S. TOLD: ‘MIND OWN BUSINESS’
…
Roosevelt’s ‘interference’ flayed by Frenchman
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By Ralph Heinzen, United Press staff writer
Vichy, Aug. 9 –
Fernand de Brinon, Vichy representative in Paris, said tonight that it was “no business” of President Roosevelt or Under Secretary of State Sumner Welles if France seeks to arrive at:
… an honorable understanding with her conqueror.
The statement by M. de Brinon was made at a press conference in Paris as Marshal Henri Philippe Pétain, Vice Premier Jean François Darlan and General Maxime Weygand met in Vichy in secret conferences concerning defense of France’s African empire.
The greatest difference between the United States and France, de Brinon said, exists in:
…the principles guiding Roosevelt and Pétain.
He said:
Roosevelt rallies to the British world plan. Pétain rallied to the new National Socialism and the new distribution of the world’s economic wealth.
We understand that every nation is guided firstly by its own interests. Thus Roosevelt banishes Fascism, Nazism, Falangism and all other non-Marxist movements.
Roosevelt even tried to forbid the French government to collaborate with Germany politically and threatens France, if she disregards his counsel. Such an attitude is unacceptable to the French people, who have a free right to choose the means of their recovery.
If Pétain feels that parliamentary democracy has harmed France and seeks the means today of arriving at an honorable understanding with her conqueror, that is no business of Roosevelt or Welles.
He added that France has an “old friendship” with the United States, but:
…will not tolerate the American effort to control French policy in the name of a superannuated political system.
Mr. Welles’ recent statement that relations between the United States and France are on a day-to-day basis, M. de Brinon said, will serve:
…only to transform the misunderstanding into a quarrel.
A scheduled meeting of the council of ministers for today was postponed to Monday to enable Marshal Pétain and his advisers to continue their deliberations.
Despite the close official silence, it appeared that African defense problems dwarf all other subjects at the moment. There were some reports that the council meeting Monday will take on decisive action.
When General Weygand appeared on the Vichy streets in intervals between conferences, he was followed by admiring throngs which frequently burst into applause.