Will Receive Instruction Officially as Civilians New York, May 17.
Britain is to open some civilian flying-schools in the United States ior training pilots who, in order to avoid international complications, will come to America as civilians. This was revealed today by a high official of the War Department in Washington.
The schools will be furnished with American planes and equipment and Britain will pay the instructo It was also disclosed that plans had finally been approved to train several thousand British pilots annually in the United States. The first group Will begin receiving instruction in June in American civilian flying schools and advanced training will be carried out at an army centre—Reuter, London, May 17.
The first admission by the Vichy authorities that German planes were in Syria came in an official communique read over the Beirut Radio last might. which vigorously condemned the British bombing of the Syrian aerodromes of Palmyra, Damascus and Rayak.
these activities on the part of Great Britain are so many acts of flagrant hostility against Frane said the statement, which added that the High Commissioner had protested to the British Consul-General.
The communique claimed that "German planes recently flew over Syria in transit, and fifteen made forced landings on Syrian aerodromes. In conformity with the armistice terms, the French authorities took steps to enable the planes in question to leave again as soon as possible. Without any warning British planes on May 14 and 15 bombed Palmyra and the air base of Rayak, where no German planes had landed.
The communique then alleged that "during the second attack a French officer was killed and several persons wounded.
"Today," it continued, "the Beirut suburb of Chrafie, Rayak and Mezze aerodromes were machine-gunned by British planes without any loss of life or damage being caused."
It was also alleged that leaflets inciting the population to disobedience were being dropped daily by British planes on towns in Syria and Lebanon, A British communique on the attacks declared that at Palmyra three Junkers and two other German aircraft and the Italian Caproni plane were machine-gunned and at least three machines severely damaged and one burnt out
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.