INCREASED MISGIVINGS

Chronicle (Levin), 2 October 1948, Page 5

INCREASED MISGIVINGS

(N.Z.P'.A.-

heuter ,

France The Weak Spot Iti Western Europe

CQpyright)

Received Friday, 7 p.m. LONDON, Oct. 1. Among many observers of the international situation the political divisions and eeonomic and military weakness of France are eausing inereasing misgivings. These weaknesses and divisions do a great deal to explain the lukewarmness with which a section of the Fronch press and public has> ,\ received the announcement of the) formation of a joint general de-. fenee staff among the tive Brussels Pact nations. Roporls from France confirm the impression that some Freneh political leaders are of two minds about Ihe advisability of France joining Britain and the United States in citing Russia l)efore the Security rouncil of the United Nations, while other reports suggest that uneasiness is growing among the Freneh people about the implieations of the Brussels Pact. A notable exception among tlie politicians is the Freneh Foreign Minister (M. Schumann) vho appears to be deterinined to back the Pact with all the support he can muster. Ileduced to its simplest terms this uneasiness springs from the Frencli l'ear that France will again be used as a Kuropean battleground and that the military strength of the Brussels Union is inadetjuate to protect them. This is further complicated by the strength of the Conimunist Party and its open hostility to the Pact and any association with Britain and the United States. It has already been noted by Bvitish correspondents that the Freneh press received the eommunique issued by the tive Brussels Union Del'enee Aliiiisters very coldly. The majority of the morning press hid the communi(|iie in inconspicuous corners, and although the evening press gave it more prominence a significant proportion of the editorial comment was restrained or openly critical. The opinion is expressed here that this lukewarmness is due in a large measure to the sudden realisation that Freneh public opinion is even less prepared for aetive rearmament than was British opinion until a few months ago. But vrhereas Britisli opinion is accepting the new measure calmly and with everv evidence of a majority approval the political divisions which have s])lit France are leaving both her politicians and her public a prey to divided minds. France 's domestie problems are so ])ressing that many Frenchmen doubt whether their country is able to faee the added burdens of international defence commitments. Mueh of the current Freneh uneasiness also springs from widespread public discontent about the efficiency of the Freneh armed forees. Although France is at present devoting a third of her budget to her irmy it is a matter of eommon knowledge that the arniv itself is weak, discontented and ill-equipped. Ahich of the lack of equipment is due to the fact that the Fertnans seized and 3'emoved all the Freneh military aruiaments and stores they could lay their hands on, and that . France in her present impoverished state is unable to replace them. In addition, however, the Frencli have 15,000 troops lockecl up in the abortive civil war in , Indo-China and a further consid- i erable force in IM'adagascar. ftix i infantry grou])s. all very unevenly ' equipped, are in North Africa, mid 70 000 hVmi/'h tt'nnne in

and dbUUU rreneii troops are in service as an occupation force in Germany. Effectively the strength of the Freneh Arniy for the purposes of European defence is no great er than it was at the end of the war — that is to say outside its various occupation and police forces it consists of three modern ^infantry divisions, two armoured ^'divisions and one air force divi4 sion (with another one overseas). The Fi'ench Air Force is probablv the weakest of the three services. Tt. has very few of the latest types of aircraft and indeed, consists chiefly of partially obsolete types which were being used at the end of the war. The personnel strength has been fiedueed to 77,000 men. Big sums were wasted on unsuitable types of aircraft -.during the period the Commnnists had control of the Freneh Air Ministry. Oue aspect of the situation upon which it is generally agreed Freneh public opinion requires re-

assuranee is the widespread belief in France that any attack from the East would mean an immediate withdrawal to the English Channel and the abandonament of France and the Low Countries to the invader. This reassurance in the present state of Britain 's defences can only be p'rovided by prompt aird detailed American guarantees of material supplies and financial assistance.