1941-05-20 — Page 19

DONALD DUCK

HI, TOOTS! GOIN' MY WAY.P

GO WAY!

I'M NOT

SPEAKING

TO YOU

Cope 1961, Walá Livmay Production World Riga Reserved.

4-8

GRIN AND BEAR IT

By Lichty

Tuesday,

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NO USE BEIN'STUCK UP!

GMON...HOP

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THE AIR

AND...

May 20, 1941.

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FRANCE

at

Nazi Mercy

By Joe Alex Morris

This is the second of two dispatches by the Foreign News Editor of the United Press who visited France on his way back to the United States after an assignment in Eng- land.The first-appeared-last-Friday.-

Sometimes a procession of automobiles rolls into the main street of Vichy and half a dozen German army officers get out in front of the big resort hotel that houses the

French Ministry of War. If the guard at the door presents arms, and a trim, little man in uniform comes to greet the new arrivals, you know that there is a general of the Reichswehr among the Germans.

The sober little man with a ramrod back is General Huntzinger, the French Minister of De- fence. Only a little man in a stiff, flat-topped General's cap could be so severely correct in his public greeting to a con- queror.

Passersby pause to look at the Germans. The Ger- man soldiers gaze around with restrained curiosity and sometimes take snap- shots. They have an air of confidence that con- trasts sharply with the apathy of the French around them, and it is only when some of the passersby turn away that you see anger and bitter- ness on their faces.

B

The anger and bitter- ness that exist among the French may become potent element in the war. But thus far, it has failed to penetrate the confused apathy of a defeated na- tion. The people know that at any moment Ger- many may draw tight the noose that would

strangle what is left of Unoccupied France.

*

To understand the posi- tion of France in a war-

ring, continent, you must weigh the attitude of the government leaders, the power of Germany to strangle France almost overnight and the dazed, hopeless condition of the mass of the people after last year's battle.

The government of Mar- shal Pelain, under the in- fluence of former vice-pre- mier Pierre Laval, bet on a German victory over Great Britain and agreed to col- laboration in a 'now European order dominated by Germany. Most members of the govern- ment are still staking their futures on that bet, although they are less confident now of the outcome. One of them

explained it this way:

"There are more than 80,- 000,000 Germans with a vast industrial machine. It is only reasonable that they should be a dominant power on the continent. We lost the war. We are primarily an agricul- tural country, and we can fit into a new European order in which we maintain the rights and sovereignty of France just as any one of your states in America maintains its position. And, just as a na- tive of any

one of those states can become lenders again in Europe."

In a general way, that is the official version of the ultimate purpose of collabora- tion with Germany, but it is modifled by many influences. The first big influence was Laval, who staked everything on a quick Gorman triumph. after Franço fell. Hö want – so far in his efforts to gain personal power, with the

-FRENCH-REFUGEES-More-than-30,000-Loft,-a-rofugeo-"reads his shirt"_for_para_

German Jows, Hungarians, Czechoslovakians, Russians, Poles and Spaniards are detained in internment camps in unoccupied France, where their lives are utterly futile and miserable, according to reports. Pictures above were taken at Camp des Milles, not far from Marseilles. Top, ancient brick factory now used as the main building.

backing of Germany, that he fell victim to the intrigue of his political foes at home and to Potain's own ideas of how to save France from extinc- tion. Laval is now in Paris, but many in Vichy believe he will return. They know that the Germans can put him in a place of power again if they think it desirable.

of Laval.

Francois

The ousting brought Admiral Darian to power, and conso- lidated in his hands the most important cabinet posts. Darlan is outspokenly anti- British, because he built up the French Navy and saw some of its finest ships at- tacked by the British at Dukar and Oran. He is re- puted to have expressed u hope that the French Navy would have a chance to show its mettle to the British, but is also credited with being merely more anti-British than pro-German.

re-

Darlan's lack of political experience has brought Pc- tain's position more strongly into the foreground. The old Marshal, regardless of his personal political views, presents the French desire to survive as a nation. He has convinced the people that he is above political Intrigue or personal ambition. His one deafro is to go down in history as a national savour. He is trying to mark time until somebody wins the war.

J

sitos. Right, Russians huddle about a small wood-burning stove while broad, and soup are served. Bottom, wooden bunks for men in German rofugee quartors. Each group is assigned a loader who is responsible for por- sons in his charge. Future appoars dark for them..

one French official explained. "Whenever it is drawn tight, we begin to choke."

The Germans hold almost war pri-. 2,000,000 French soners, and by holding them can delay the ability of the nation to recover and weaken France for a generation by drastically affecting the birth rate.

r

Germans are using billions of francs paid by the French Government for support of the

Nazi army in occupied France to buy into French industries and other enter- prises, which they will control even if the army of occupa- tion is withdrawn. German occupation is forcing France

its to sky-rocket

borrow.. ings toward the 100,000,- 000,000 franc mark, with con- sequences so obvious that the franc can now be purchased on the Black Bourse at more than 125 to the U.S. dollar in contrast to the official rate of 43.

This Nazi programme of economic destruction, how- ever, is only part of the pro- blem. The French are run- ning short of food, and when- ever the "strangulation line" is drawn tight the Germana can make the food, fuel, and raw materials shortages so acute that tho unoccupied zono is all but paralysed. Al- ready the food shortage has persuaded Petain to back Darlan's threat to use French warships against the British blockade. Some neutral pb. servers believe that real fa- "The line of demarcation mine conditions might porsu- balween occupied and unoccu-add the Marshal to go further pied France is a diabolically in deals with Germany in ex clover cord of strangulation change for food,

Petain and all of Un- occupied France, however, arc at the mercy of Germany.

4

Against the German power, there are a few safeguards. One 18 the Nazi-dictated armistice that left the fleet in French hands to protect French colonies. As long as Petain can threaten to flee to North Africa and turn the fleet, air force and colonial army

to co-operation with the British, the Germans must carefully weigh the cost of breaking the armistice terms by invading the unoc cupied zone or seizing French naval bases.

over

The second and, possibly the most important, safe- guard is the pro-British feel- ing among the French armed forces and the people. Three experienced observers just re- turned from North Africa told the same story: that the French navy took an objective view of the military necessity that prompted British attacks at Oran and Dakar, and that the feeling among both mon and officers was favourable to the British.

an

The people of the occupled zone are invariably described by responsible persons reach- Ing Vichy as becoming dally more bitter against the Ger- mana-largely becauso army of occupation paralyses business and hits the people in their pocket-books. In the unoccupied zone, the people have not yet recovered enough from the daze of defeat to worry seriously about who is going to win the war. But if they forget their own troubles long enough to talk about it, the old fear of Germany emorges, and there are now signs scrawled in chalk on the walls—"Vive De Gaulle -- Copyright 1941 by United

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