"The charge preferred against Mr. Egal of having enticed sailors to desert is branded as utterly groundless by Free French circles here who point out that all those who left had done so of their own free will in cordance with their conscience. enticing from any quarters having fever been done.
"The death penalty with Which Mr. Egat is being threatened can only bbe passed on him. French naval our thorities here reveal. because of the fact that France is still at war with JGermany. Gauilist quarters. however, point out that. if France is still at war with Germany and if that state of war is thus recognized by repre sentatives of the Petain regime, then those Vichy statesmen. politicians and businessmen who openly seek a com plete ce-operation with that same Germany, are indeed guilty of intercourse with the enemy. This, at Toast. is what the declarations of their own' men here imply. If the war clause of the military law can be used against Mr, Egal then those men who fre already pleading guilty to a crime of high treason. must. by virtue of the fame clause, be handed over to a firing squad.
"The campaign of threats and in timidation which was launched yesterday against the Free French movement here by the local authorities has already" met with complete failure, Speaking over—stations XMIHA. and XCDN., Gaulliste representatives yesterday and today announced that the challenge hurled fat the Gaullistes had been taken up by them and that the importation into Shanghai by the Vichy authorities of German-made gangsterism would not! bbe tolerated. The war is on......" thorities immediately {o release M. Egal. Counsel also emphasized the hopelessness of organizing a defence In' the ease without being able to interview his client.
It was also learned that a warrant for M. Eyal's arrest was signed by the French naval authorities.
Premet expressed his readiness 0 to Saigon to defend his client if MIN, Egat is sent there and if he is Instructed todo $0.
'Counsel expressed the opinion that the only court competent to try the ease was the local' French tribunal since the offence was alleged to have been committed here and consequent ly only local jurisdiction could apply, Premet indicated that Mme Bgal might be allowed to see her husband on board the captive vessel twice 0 week.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.