THE CHINÀ MAIL, SEPTEMBER 16, 1940.
CHINA MAIL
WINDSOR HOUSE
FRANCE'S MISTAKE
The men of Vichy, tc use the convenient term by which the Government of surrender is described put it about that they were giving France a new Constitution and intro- ducing a new spirit int her life, suited to her needs and her true inter- ests. The new Constitu- tion was based on the mo- dels of Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany. The idea underlying the new spirit was that France, recognis- ing that her overseas Em- pire had been a mistake, should pursue a less am- bitious policy, that she should renounce indus- trialism and return to al simpler life as a people of peasants and handicrafts- men. The men of Vichy, taking account of certain ideas and certain discon- tents that were influen- cing French minds before the war, have formed a political structure likely to be agreeable to their German conquerors. One of the advocates of this policy, oddly enough, M. Baudouin, is a leading figure in that financial
"Do you like your eggs done three or four minutes, sir?”
Fage 47
Under Shadow Of A New Bastille
Not Meant To Last That times. have changed and men change with them is true.
-By- J.B. FIRTH
the
gre
re-
more
the
The de- Fall of the Bastille, when world whose mischievous ALASI for France, prostrate in But some faint echo of the noble petty interests.
puties of to-day simply regard principles of the Revolution the dust, with the heel of her rage and indignation of 70 years
themselves, as officials.... We remembered with Tetes and influence in French poli-secular adversary upon her neck: ago might surely have been heard
What would the no longer have great prefects.joicing and pledges of loyalty to France has suffered military de-at Bordeaux. tics has prompted the de-
feat before, and has astonished Tiger have said of the National We no longer have great direc-the Republic are gratefully re-
Why? newed, makes it all the sire for a, simpler life as the world by her recovery. But Assembly at Vichy, which last tors of public affairs.
Because the places are occupied tragic and distressing: The French by the petty creatures of petty were exhorted by their new mas- an escape from this cor-then she had leaders with undim-week empowered Petain to frame, med faith in the native genius a bastard Constitution on Fascist
Parliamentarians."
Iters, not without brutality, to rupt power. E
and in the future of France, What lines? Would he not have flay-
the Make what allowance you will spend the anniversary this year Where are the men ed alive such treachery to
On what can of to-day? The Nazis have not been of 1871?
Republic?
for the sore hurt to his, pride, the in "meditation."
conciliated
But, then; where now is the core of the indictment remains. they meditate save on the rising by these The counterpart, even of the
veteran Thiers is not recognisable Republic? It has gone out into The disinterested men who could walls of the new Bastille which manoeuvres. The Vichy in him who was honoured once as the darkness with its President. have saved the Constitution were are designed to imprison the whole
nation? Government spoke of res-the Hero of Verdun. Where is Possibly a stronger man than M not there.
the fiery Gambetta, the fou fur-Lebrun might have stopped the Yet his major romedy was noth-Is it to be supposed that French toring the old Bourbon jeux of Orleans? He certainly rot. But the politicians of the ing very terrible or revolutionary. Radicals, Socialists and Commun- long What he had principally insisted ists are prepared to renounce their provinces. With grim has not been reincarnated in La- Third Republic have too
val. Or where is the fellow to been shy of strong Presidents. was that the Premier should have, democratic institutions and be irony the Nazis prepare the least eminent of the three, I forbear to comment on the as in England, the right of disso- content with the derisory share in the three Constitutional Acts which lution a year after a General the government of their country to restore the old indepen-Jules Ferry, who chose that
Prussians should march through
Election so as to prevent the end-which is all that is left to the rank dent State of Brittany un-Paris rather than surrender a
less succession of transient, short- and file of Germans and Italians? lived Governments. founded on Will the French urban workers der a German governor. stone of the fortress of Belfort?
insincere, purely temporary and abandon their trade unions with- While the Petain Minis-
Isometimes corrupt agreements. out a struggle and renounce their So long as Parliament was, in right to a voice in shaping the ters talk of decentralisa-l
practice, indissoluble during its conditions of their daily work? tion, the Nazis talk of dis-
four years' term of life, the virus. In France for more than hälf a was ineradicable. .
century the Legislature has exer- memberment. When ask-|
the new Chief of State has just The plan suffered shipwreck be-cised a jealously guarded over-
These are notl ed for any concession, of using and betraying promulgated.
meant to endure. At the day of cause, its erities said, it might riding authority over the Execu~ such as the return of those weaker than your-meckoning they and their authors lead to a Dictatorshipl. Six years tive: that has been carried, in the French prisoners of war, self. So the Foreign Min-will be covered with confusion. have passed, and lol a Dictator is opinion of most impartial obser- The true France, whose "head is preparing to take the stage over vers, to great and harmful excess. they remind Marshal Pe- ister of the Government bloody but unbowed," will say: the ruins of the Republic itself In the authoritarian State
because the remedy was more word. Parliament has lost all its tain that France has been that went to war last Sep- For all the ills we ever bore'
the professionals could original connotation: it has ceased We grieved, we sighed, we wept; than beaten to the ground and tember is exempted, while
bear. What Tagitus Bald long to be anything more than a body we never blushed before.
since of States which can neither which meets occasionally to re- The has no right to expect any Ministers who had no
for proper Government
would endure their vices nor their register. en blge the decrees of the France at such an hour
Dictator. The difference is funda- indulgence. The men of direct relation with for-have been, I should have thought, medies is still true. Vichy have now decided eign affairs but who were a National Government, formed of M. Laval is an outstanding ex-mental. How long will it take all the best men available in poll- ample of the intriguers who have France to accustom herself to the on a further step in the known as men who
tical life and reinforced, if need ruined the morale of France. He change? hope of placating them. thought that
treaties be, from outside, If it be sald is best remembered here
An End Of Liberty that many National Governments French Minister who-stultified They are to take proceed-should be kept are to be have already failed most dismally, France's position in the League of Nations, and the effectiveness, of too many
Again, answer is that
in the authoritarian ings against a number of impeached. This decision the politicians who are spe- shows how far the men of members were unfaithful to their the League in its actions against
the Aggressor, by giving Musso-State the individual citizen counts duty, and studied too exclusively tini a free hand in Abyssinia in 1or nothing. He is a cipher. He cially obnoxious to the Vichy are ready to go in party interests or their own.
France's separate pact with Italy, is told that except in so far as be Germans. These politi- their desire to please Ger-
His German mastors openly de-a a unit merged and compacted cians are chosen as spe-many, for such action Politician's Timidity ride his vain effort to placate Ger-In, the general mass, his happiness many and Italy by drawing up a and prosperity, are of no in- cially responsible for the must prejudice seriously Let me recall what Pere Dou-crazy Constitution in the German terest or concern to the State. The French are still the most con- vinced individualists in Europe; war. It is significant that whatever chance they mergue sald only six years ago in and Italian style,
how can they accept a regime M. Bonnet is not among have of being accepted, his fallure to effect what he be How Long?
which cuts athwart every fixed that the vital principle of their daily net the compliment of ac- Government entitled to stitution. He had been recalled sensus of agreement
action? France catastrophe is mainly of political cepting his word (and speak for France or to be from retirement to save
and the foundering franc, After origin-spilling over freely Into It is beyond the power of any they are no doubt right) respected for its patriotic nine months the Constitution's the economic, the financial and Dictator to destroy what Isan when he says that after motives. This bitter revi- last defender," for so he regarded the moral fields (for they are all integral part of the Frenchman's
himself, had to own that the forces closely inter-connected) what secular religion. urging France, with suc-val of domestic feuds by of partisanship in his own Cabinet possible prospect is there of the Or consider the motto of the Liberty, Equality, He French political parties agreeing Revolution cess, to break her treaty a Government that has were too strong for him,
to accept the conclusion that safe. Fraternity-in its roulon to with Czechoslovakia he surrendered the liberty of "If I had had to form a newty can only come from the Bight, Fascist State! Liberty is trans-- had tried hard to persuade its country shows that it team of 20 Ministers. I could and the extreme Right at that, the formed into the rule of compul- not have done it. It would Right which equally with the sory and unquestioning obedience. her to break her treaty is more anxious to please have been impossible for me to Left bas adopted the fetal device, quality and fraternity, aro both
And so many men of merit, at of "descending into the street"? set at defiance by arrogant dis with Poland Diplomacy Germany than to unite
ony rate in the confines of Par Phat this should befall on the tinctions of race and prepontarásin in such hands is the art France.
lament.
the day of the claims to superiority of bleodi I was broken on eve of July -
the bitterness of his heart aftor}
as the
them. They pay M. Bon-to-day or in history, as alleved to be the one vitally neces-
sary reform in the French Con- Ever assuming a general con-habit of their thought and every
said:
a