740.0011 European War 1939/5860: Telegram
The Consul General at Beirut (Palmer) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:25 p.m.]
102. Supplementing 101 of October 4th and referring to 82 of August 20 (final sentence), 93 of September 20 (third and last paragraphs) and 97 of September 28. High Commissioner reaffirms and attitude of French officers plainly indicates intention to maintain adequate armed forces in Syria and Lebanon.
He seems confident that Axis Powers are still satisfied to feel that there is a strong French force here and he denies that Italian Commission has demanded demobilization, delivery of any military air or naval base, or surrender of aircraft or any army munitions or provisions or gasoline (it is understood that all but 100 planes have been effectively unmobilized; that these 100 are allowed to fly over restricted courses on normal patrol incident to the maintenance of internal security; that if [one] of these planes leaves this mandated area the [Page 915] squadron to which it belongs will be permanently grounded with a consequent reduction in the total number available for such use.)
He emphasizes that military and other French authorities here are more interested than Italy and Germany in expediting repatriation of potentially troublesome reservists and he pointed out that whatever the wishes of the Axis Powers the repatriation cannot be expected without the consent of the British in the case of each ship.
He also points out that there is no prohibition here against listening to any radio broadcast and he insists that neither in this respect nor in respect to administrative matters or control of production and trade have there been any demands or interference on the part of the Italian Commission.
He declares that he has no knowledge of any proposal for the return here of Arab or other propagandists unless a former Italian Vice Consul in Beirut who recently returned with pseudo military status as a member of a third group of armistice commission delegates and personnel, notwithstanding the High Commissioner’s objections previously expressed to Vichy, may be considered in this category.
False reports such as the press despatches mentioned in Department’s telegram 71 of October 2 are generally based on rumors that circulate freely here and frequently appear in local Arab newspapers that are read also in Palestine. On more than one occasion the British Consul General has telegraphed the Foreign Office suggesting that radio broadcasting stations under British control be cautioned against the repetition of unconfirmed reports as to the situation here which discredit British sources of information that until recently were locally considered as generally reliable. It has been suggested that German and Italian agents may have found in the natives’ weakness for rumors a means for spreading misleading reports that quickly reach neighboring countries, are almost certain to be included in British and American broadcasts and newspapers and are often the subject of official denials that offer Axis broadcasting stations and news services opportunities for undermining confidence in British broadcasts in general.
Latest reports of this nature based on false local rumors widely accepted in Palestine and repeated abroad picture bread lines in Syria and state that 2 or 3 Italian planes damaged by anti-aircraft fire in recent raid on Haifa came down in Lebanon or just off this coast and that 1 of these planes that made a forced landing near Beirut had a German observer on board. There are no bread lines here, nor any reason therefor. Only 1 such plane is known to have come down here, the one that made a forced landing near Beirut with no German but 5 Italians that have been interned.