THE REAL STORY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 217, 12 September 1940, Page 18

THE REAL STORY.

IN FRANCE TO-DAY. "BRITAIN OUR ONLY HOPE." SAN FRANCISCO, August 20. So many conflicting reports come out of France, now it is dominated by Nazis, that the following letter is a moet revealing comment. It was received by Mrs. Aimee Morgan, of La Crescenta, California, from a French friend who has escaped to Switzerland. Translated literally it says:— "Dear Friend: Though the defeat of the French Army has crushed us the shame inflicted on France by acceptance , of the armistice by the Petain Govern- I ment is worse . . . This treaty is not the emanation of the will of the French people, who would have repulsed it with indignation had its terms been made public. The proof of this is that the Petain Government did not dare make public the terms which were known the world over. "Marshal Petain said he would sign only an honourable peace. But what is more dishonourable than to give the enemy all facilities to turn against one's ally, to whom one had promised support and not abandonment? This alone would be enough to dishonour a Government and the Government did not represent France. But that is not all. France is ruined. "They have delivered to the enemy her army, her fortifications, her raw materials, her munitions factories, even the war prisoners, who are hostages and will be menaced with death every time France tries to resist the impositions of the enemy. The acceptance of such a treaty was treason. It was signed only by a few and without the consent of the iountry, yet all Frenchmen will have to suffer its shameful consequence. Not Defeated.

"We were told the army had been defeated and we had to accept. That was not true. We still had resources. We still had the soul of France. As Reynaud and nine other members of the Government said, we could transport the Government to colonial soil and continue the light, with our aviation and our fleet at the side of England. We could have done ae the Queen of Holland has done. Supreme cowardice, the Petain Government even delivered to Germany and-Italy the political refugees from those countries. And for nothing! "In what is left of France they cannot even listen to a radio! They are completely surrounded and hopelessly dependent. It is slavery. It is death. The only ray of hope we still have resides in the victory of Great Britain. It is the last refuge of liberty in Europe. If it is crushed we shall all pass under the yoke of Hitler, and gj back to barbarism. Now England—alone to our shame—must face an enemy rich with the riches of France, without any scruples and crafty in use of the bad forces which exist in every country. Will Switzerland Escape? "Here in Switzerland I enjoy tranquillity and maybe, for some time, liberty. But Switzerland is far from happy. Numerous Swiss people etill think that Germany will leave them alone. Happy illusion! A victory over Britain would quickly dissipate it. We shall never forget that England now is fighting for the whole world. We are completely cut off from France and if news came from there it would have no valu<» as it is completely controlled by the Germane. "We are glad to know that there are Frenchmen who do not accept this demission of France and fight on at the aide of England for the honour of France. Thank God there is a General de Gaulle and a Vice-Admiral Muselier to save the honour of our dear country." The foregoing letter has been published in a prominent Californiail daily newspaper and it has given Americans the real story of France, aside from propaganda sent out to American journals.