THE CHINA MAIL, NOVEMBER 9, 1940.
CHINA MAIL France Has
WINDSOR HOUSE
FORTRESS OF LONDON
By the. Diplomatic Correspon- dent of "Le Populaire,” the famous French Labour news?. paper, who is now in London, actively assisting In the war effort
The "Hamburger Frem- denblatt" appears to be indulging in a little hot-diately after the Petain capitula-
Frenchmen like myself Who arrived in Great Britain imine-
by four revolutions. mocratic regime brought
grasp the terrible reality?
about
Page
Not Lost
Her Soul
"is already popular
no
in
in
of
is
Fuehrer the Germans "the the French." Whatever might remind ono of revolutionary France is wiped out: gone parliament; gone the proud motto "L'berty, quality, Fraternity;" gone even the name of Republic. Petaln speaks like the former Kings of France "We, Phillippe Petain." He has re-established
the provinces and governors abolished by the Constituent As- sembly of 1780, which even the Restoration did not dare to re- vive!
tion, have not been able to grasp air bombardment of its at once the situation thus creat the Somme knows that things say, own, with some
ed. The suddenness of the catas- went on as if the General Staf France." of the trophe had shaken us too much. had abandoned all initiative. Satisfactory news steam
In
the so-called, There never was even any effec yet not enough to justify generated,
three days,
doubt; no French Government had decided, tive defence,
our And yet, every confidence. This confidence rests doubt, by the repeated at-without resisting to the utmost, time the French soldier was com
to hand over the country to Hlt-manded by a real leader, he fought Great Britain. The whole coun-
on what we see here daily
The political parties no longer exist. Trade-unions are being tentions which the R.A.F. ler and Mussolini, to place them as a hero.
cooperative selves at the mercy of the dicta was not inferior to his father of vader. All classes are one
The soldier of 1940 try is up against a potential in- dissolved and the
This has bestowed on the docks tors, to submit to the domination 1914.
system will replace them. in of the city to which the ever consulted, had always de-dency over, we are
of Fascism a people that, when- The first moments of despon-their resistance. Things will not job will be entrusted to M. Belin,
be easy, There will be
newly
of appointed Minister greal once more difficulties, but
Labour, M. Belin, owes' every- even nobody German paper belongs.clared its will to maintain a de- confident. Ours is not a happy thinks for one
to thing
trade-unionism. Ten single But it does not seem very
go-lucky confidence and optimism, that they cannot be overcome.
moment
years ago he was an obscure but a reasoned confidence, th
civil servant in the Post Office. wise to have asserted so What a nightmare!
Besides this confidence optimism based on facts as AVE
ther A talented speaker, he played a How could I, a diplomatic cor- have seen them for
arc the results, vicible results part on the eve of the rapproche- openly that "the fortress
1 month. trade-un-ever since we respondent, an active
have been in
of the last week's tremendous ment between his union and the of London is playing just ionist, and lately a war corres-Great Britain.
efforts for the defence of the communists. From extreme left once First, we have the news from country and the liberation
Che became violently anti-com- as challengingly and just pondent, how could I at
France. France. Not much and some not
Men and property have munist, at the same time under- as frivolously as did the I knew, of course, the mentality absolutely reliable, but some of been mobilised and the Labour mining the work and influenze of fortress of Warsaw.'
of the leading French classes who. it absolutely trustworthy.
Party has played a great, nay, Leon Jouhaux, Secretary-General against their will, had entered all foreign correspondents, still an overwhelming, part in creat of the French Trades Union Con- Which particular sections the war against Hitler. But even in
and upholding this in- unoccupieding,
gress, and fighting the latter's most pessimistic France, testify. of the fortress of London moods, I never dreamt they would
anti-Fascist policy. In the back- It is an undeniable fact that the
ground, he was one of the mak- is the "Fremdenblatt" become such defeatists and, let the Parisians remain aloof
and keeping up unflaggingly this
ers of the Munich policy and, afraid of? Is it the ma- treason there
us be frank, such traitors. For dignified and look the other way gigantic drive for armaments.
in 1939, the champion of pacifism, has boen. Mere when Nazi troops parade in the France has not lost her soul. that excellent tool of Fascism. chine-guns of its mater-incompetence does not explain streets. The invaders themselves She remains democratic, proud
to All active trade-unionists are nity hospitals, or does the what happened between the last are less overbearing than usual of her liberties, determined
week of May and June 17. because Hitler is not sure of the win them back. France will not aware of Belin's career and am- editorial staff tremble at Whoever has followed the mili-ponulation.
lose heart. Still, do not under- i bitions. But, with or without will the thought of long-range
tary events from the battle of The French remain French, estimate the merits of those who Belin, the French workers
determined to keep the Nazis at keep their faith intact in alook askance at. corporativism bombardments from the
arm's length. They have. not country sold out to Fascism. No-which they hate and distrust. (as far as they are aware of thing is left of the democratie Neither an old and tired Mar- canons of that famous and good war as it seemed last them) gladly accepted the armis-institutions nor of the free trad-shal nor a renegade trade-unionist cupola-domed artillery May, and it is likely to tice terms.
unions. The National Assembly, will ever be capable of taking centre of St. Paul's?
People just escaped from Brit- has suppressed the Constitution away from the French workers Or appear still less attractive tany tell me that the French of 1875. Less than seventy hours the will for democracy and free- perhaps the fire that was before this winter wears have not changed and are still of debate have done away with dom that will move once, more. started near that particu- on
dead against Fascism and Nazism.the result of four revolutions. the mountains of reaction in the into spring. The "General de Gaulle's name," they Marshal Petain is called. by land of revolutions.
then
in
my
lar stronghold was a bad change of tone in the pen- shot for the Tower of valiant Gayda is most in- London, which must come teresting. He strove hard | under the heading of for- to take his countrymen tresses, since legend says into the war. His aim now that it was first selected appears to be to get them as a stronghold by that to go on with it. well-known man of war
Julius Caesar. Even Gray,
one of our own English GREEK RESISTANCE
poets, referred to it as
"London's lasting shame. Mussolini has. often With many a foul and shown himself to be an midnight murder fed." opportunist but a bad cal- That shows that it must culator and he has again be a centre of aggression, failed to obtain something and if Hamburg journal- for nothing. The Grecian ists care to read up their resistance is astonishing Baedeker they can no Italian soldiers, who, like doubt discover other for-the rest of the Italian midable objects for as-public, were told that no sault.
Grecian resistance was possible..
NOT SO ATTRACTIVE
Mussolini's adventure
in Greece developed from
his need to strengthen his Italian journalists, on military position in the the other hand, appear to Eastern Mediterranean as be afflicted by a sudden part of the attack on the wave of sobriety. The Suez defences and to ap- fire-eating Gayda warns'proach more nearly his his readers that the war own Dodecanese Islands. will be "long and difficult" He hoped that by sudden and the Rome "Interna- onslaught he could seize tional Relations" reflects the country before Brit- with gravity on the in-'ain could give her pro- creasingly close contacts mised aid. The stand put between Great Britain up by the gallant Greek! and the United States. army though numerically Italy's war against France smaller and badly equip was, from the Gayda point, ped, has not only upset of view, a really enjoyable Mussolini's calculations campaign; it might be but has allowed Britain described as brief, bright, to land in Crete, where though not altogether aerodromes and fortifica brotherly. The war tions are being pushed against Greece is taking vigorously forward. nothing like such All Greece may not be able agreeable turn, and the to withstand a reinforced chilling thought remains Italian army indefinitely that it is not at all likely but the successes she has now to influence the gen- achieved have given con- eral course of events to fidence to her people and Mussolini's advantage. have materially contribut- From his point of viewed to the final defeat of the war is not such a the Axis partners:
and. occupied
STBURG
AMER POPEYE
as
domitable
will to resist till bitter end, and in
OLE MAN
RIVER
SPINACH
50 DESTROYER
STRENGTH
NAVY
CUT NAVAL BASES MIXTURE
-AND NOW WHAT ABOUT 'ONE FOR THE ROAD ́ ́