While more news concerning the invasion of Syria appears to be coming from Vichy rather than from the British command it is now known that the British and the Free French,—possibly assisted by Arabs,—are making their way into Sytia along at least three routes. One column is reported to be proceeding along the coast with Beyrouth as the immediate objective. A second is Griving toward Damascus, and at the time of writing was reported to be within 40 miles of that city, while the third is said to be striking from the Euphrates, out of Iraq towards Aleppo. If there are any more columns on the move no indication of the fact has appeared up to the present in the news cables. The strength of the British and Free French columns has not been revealed but it is reported that Vichy controls forces variously estimated as between 30,000 and 60,000 men. Of these about 15,000 are re-Ported to be French, and the disunion amongst them is evidenced by the desertion of 4,000 of them to the Allies.
It' would be foolish in the extreme to expect that the invasion of Syria will prove to be anything in the nature of a walk-over. Already there are claims made by Vichy to the effect that a stern resistance is being offered, and it is to be expected that General Dentz will do his utmost to hold out in the hope that the Germans will send greater assistance than appears to be already in Syria, so that at least the various aerodromes, which may still be of value to the Germans may continue to be held. No reliance what~ ever is to be placed in the German story that so far as Berlin is concerned the matter is an issue between Vichy and Great Britain, The elimination of the French Government of the mandated territory and the establish ment of Allied control of the country and its Ports would mean a definite strengthening of the British and Allied position in the eastern Mediterranean, and to some extent would offset the effects of the reverse in Crete. It is to be expected, therefore, that Germany will intervene directly that becomes possible.
Tu the meantime a great deal is being made by Vichy spokesmen to the effect that the invasion of Syria is an attack on the French Empire. Thus 10 quote 'M. Benoit-Mechain "The most painful side of this aggression is that a few Frenchmen could have been abused and. blinded by: a foreign army which ig fighting to tear away from the mother country a part of its Empire" Syria is nothing of the sort. It is an independent state and has been since 1936, France having certain privileges. It was in that year that 4 delegation of the Syrian Republic visited Paris to discuss with the French Government a treaty based upon that between Great Britain and Iraq. Finally a treaty of friend~ ship and alliance between the two States was signed on September 9 and ratified by the Syrian Parliament on December 26. Under the terms of the Treaty Syria became an independent state and was fo be a member of the League of Nations. Syria and France were to be in perpetual alliance, French troops were to be stationed in certain parts of the new State, and in other respects the Traian precedent was followed. The districts of Jehol Druse and Latakia, inhabited by compact minorities, were to te given a special status within the Syrian Republic, a similar arrangement being decided upon for' Greater Lebanon.
It has never been claimed by the British that Iraq was a part of the British Empire, and it is somewhat surprising at this late hour that men claiming to be responsible French statesmen should claim for Syrin a status which definitely does not exist. It is not a part of the French Empire.. It never' was. At the most it was mandated territory to which that amount of independence has been ceded that it was able to enter into a treaty with France which clearly stipulated the relationships existing between the two countries. But it does not particularly matter what is claimed in this instance. It!
being made quite clear to Vichy that if any part of the French Empire is at any time used by Germany for the prosecution of the war against Britain and her Allies appropriate action will have to be taken. It is only common sense that this should be the ease, and if Vichy wishes to avert further' trouble it will refrain from giving any such assistance to Germany.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.