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From Alexandria, Egypt, Movietone News brings you the latest incident to upset
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the chancelories of the free world: President Nasser delivering his fiery speech
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telling of his nationalization of the Suez Canal. A seizure from private interest
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that the Egyptian says is his answer to the West for refusing to finance the
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Aswan Dam. It's a situation fraught with implications. But undeterred,
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President Nasser raises his country's flag to symbolize his action.
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And although his followers hail him and carry him triumphantly on their shoulders,
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in London, Paris and Washington the fate of the strategic waterway causes
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grave concern.
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A lifeline between the East and West, the free world does not want it dependent
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on the Egyptian government, which sends U.S. Undersecretary of State Murphy to London,
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where he is interviewed on the crisis by British press men.
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Journalist #1: Have you brought any plan with you for action against Egypt?
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Murphy: Uh, I can only say that we are going to engage in these conversations with
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our friends here and explore the matter. We haven't got to the point as yet
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of specific proposals.
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Journalist #2: What do you think of the idea of using force to protect Western
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projects in the Middle East?
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Murphy: Really no comment on that at this stage.
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Journalist #1: Does your Goverment now regret the decision not to help finance the Aswan Dam?
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Murphy: We have no regrets, no!
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Arriving in the Egyptian capital from Alexandria where he proclaimed his seizure
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of the Suez Canal Company, President Nasser finds Cairo's population in a
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veritable nationalistic frenzy. An acclaiming multitude which escorts him like a hero
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to the presidential palace, where he delivers another fiery speech in answer to
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opposition to his provocative action.
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Action which brings U.S. Secretary of State Dulles flying to London,
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where the English wait in the rain to see another momentous conference get under way
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at 10 Downing Street.
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It's a three-power meeting with France the third party and the talks tend to
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favor international rule for the canal, with a bid to Russia to take a part.
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In Cairo, President Nasser's top aide, wing commander Ali Sabri explains
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Egypt's challenge to the West by its seizure of the Suez Canal, but pays no heed
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to protests as his country drafts plans for a general mobilization—
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a threatening gesture that sees French, British and U.S. forces in the Mediterranean
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spring to activity as here at Toulon, the great French naval base where a fleet
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has gotten ready to steam Suez-ward.
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While in England naval reservists converge on Plymouth to man three aircraft carriers
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that Britain is dispatching to the troubled waterway. A precautionary measure in
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the event of Egypt's refusal to attend the 24-nation meeting called
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to internationalize the seized canal.
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Regiments of paratroopers too are on the move as here at Portsmouth, for each of
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the three British flattops sailing to the Mediterranean will be loaded with
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these most modern of fighting units—as the West, challenged again, faces the facts.