"Ludicrous" by Official Spokesman Vichy, Oct. 23. IHE French Government last night denied reports that France was preparing to declare war on. Britain.
"The French Government," an official spokesman declared, "denies in a most formal manner the overseas reports alleging that the Vice-Premier, M. Laval had gone to Paris to negotiate France's declaration of war against England."
The Government spokesman said that such overseas reports because been! issued banning specuiatiun by foreign correspondents relative to Ribbentrop's whereabouts. It is stated the order will be effective im-
M. Baudoin said the disposition to be made of Alsace-Lorraine would have an important. bearing on Franco-German relations after the will be liable to a charge of political espionage.
In the opinion of neutral diploma-present war.
Informed circles here said M. Laval had returned to Paris with a proposition for the extension of the Vichy Government, seems to show German Armist tice that') preliminary negotiations with Vichy indicated that such meeting could bear fruitful results, should France express willingness off any allegiance she might possibly German' still feet for her former ally. These sion, however, have been found un-quarters express the opinion Tie way acceptable by the Vichy Government, might then be opened for re-establish. it was said—United Press.
Laval Received by Hitler ment of normal relations. with the Berlin, Oct. 23.
M. Pierre Laval, Vice-Premier of the Vichy Government, was received by Chancellor Hitler somewhere in German-occupied France yesterday, the official DNB news agency reported here last night.
Also present at the meeting be-
Rot likely to go to Vichy gether, as scooby ban sine sao
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.