NEWS FROM FRANCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 March 1940, Page 3

NEWS FROM FRANCE

GERMANS HAVE LOST BEST

CHANCE

NAZI BELIEF IN HITLER PERFORMING MIRACLE.

SYMPTOMS OF SIGNIFICANCE

(From Our Paris Correspondent.) PARTS. February 1. Although the first, of February find: - us smarting with memories of ihe intensest cold known in France for almost half a century it yet brings with it thoughts of approaching spring and the real-campaign that all believe will come with the first fine days. Everyone in France agrees with Mr Churchill that the Germans have lost their best chance, and it is thought that the enemy, too, are fully aware of this fact. According to reports reaching France through well informed neutral countries, the people of Germany or those of them who have any faith left, have a childlike belief that Hitler will perform a miracle. It is an obvious admission that Germans realise in fact that only a miracle can save them from defeat. Whatever speculations or wishthoughts may be indulged in. there are many symptoms that are significative. One is the announcement of the death penalty for defeatist propaganda, the expression of pessimism. Another is very heavy penalties for listening to foreign radio broadcasts, even from neutral countries. Surely things must be pretty bad if malcontents have to be threatened with death and listeners to foreign radio broadcasts with long terms of imprisonment. But two other symptoms are looked upon in Paris as particularly important indi > cations. They are the order forbidding Germans to fly flags on January 30, a day when in the past every one was encouraged to hang them out, and the announcement that Dr Goebbels will not permit certain national songs to be played in cafes and public halls. Of these measures the first, regarding the flying of flags on January 30. is interpreted as evident fear that the flags ' would not have been flown in anything ■ like the numbers seen in the past and ' that they would probably have been ■ accompanied by an uncomfortably i large number of red flags bearing the ■ hammer and sickle of Germany's newly made friends. The “protecting'' of •, certain national songs from profane ; playing is considered here as an attempt to hide the fact that these nat- ! ional tunes have been very coolly received, and the measure of protection is merely a means for getting them off the programmes with dignity. Whatever the spring does bring it will constitute no surprise for the French. On the contrary, it may bring a very big surprise for the Gormans. France is fully prepared in every way. ' and people not living in France can form little idea of what the French effort means. Imagine any big city in’ England where one could not look ten yards without seeing someone in uniform. That is the picture of any French town of importance today. The order of mobilisation posted up on the walls of Paris on the outbreak of this war. thrust on the world by Hitlerism, meant the calling up of practically every man between the ages of 20 and 50. France today, with all the reluctance of a cultured people, is become in every sense of the word an armed nation. Five million is the lowest figure of her fighting forces, and that out of a population of 45 millions. In the large tenement house whore I live I meet few men in the stairway, and those I do occasionally meet are in uniform. On my way to my office today I walked behind a French officer, and in a distance of less than 150 yards he had been called upon to return thirty-two salutes. The army that is wailing along the frontier for the spring and the Ger-, mans is magnificently equipped, with extraordinary guns and appliances, and every man. in it is full of confidence. He has no uncertain idea what he is fighting for. and ho knows that ho has with him comrades of the Bri-

tish Army, and he knows, too, that every really civilised nation is in full sympathy with the Allies. It is exactly because neither the French nor the British want a world as desired by Herr Dr Frick that they are waiting with unequalled determination to put an end to Nazism. Dr Frick on January 24 made a speech in which he said; "We want a European peace in which every nation can create its vital space according (o its efforts and its capabilities."

There is a general feeling in Paris ; that while (he western allied front is daily growing in strength, either for , defence or attack, the situation is f changing gradually but steadily as re-J , gards neutral States. A high official . pointed out that in the Balkans there I is an obviously stiffening front. Within the last few weeks, ever since the ' highly important talks between Count . Ciano and Count Czaki at Venice, I there has been a promise from Hun- , gary to leave in abeyance until after hostilities any question of claims against Rumania. The same promise has come from Bulgaria. All this means that Rumania is practically assured, if suddenly called upon to defend herself against German aggression. that she will not have to immobi-

lise large bodies of troops for fear of possible attacks from the- rear. In long flights over Germany, French pilots have not been inactive. The tracts they drop consist of a very short text, generally a few telling sentences. One which has been recently dropped in hundreds of thousands by the French pilots bears tho following: “The Fuhrer promised you broad; you have got bread cards. He promised you peace: you have got war. He villified Russia; now you arc allied to Russia. You were to triumph everywhere: now Germany is completely isolated. Don't you think you have boon deceived?’' A single airplane can distribute between 300.000 and 450.000 of these tracts. Tho French airmen aim al dropping these tracts, not over towns, but over largo regions of open country, where people can load thorn without being seen bv neighbours. Il is calculated that tracts dropped from a height of a thousand metres 13,280 feel.) take an hour lo float down to earth. Gorman refugees have for many years past found welcome hospitality in France, as they have in. Great Britain. and numbers of them, especially among doctors, scientists and intellectual research workers, Wive been given opportunity to continue their activities in the best cause of humanity. These refugees are anti-Nazi, and all wish to see the end of Hitler and Na-j ziism. At the same time, many among them look for a termination of the war that shall end tho Nazi parly but leave Germany strong. Their sentiment is quite natural, but not without danger, as their activities taka

them into contact with French intellectuals. Many French critics are pointing out this danger, and they are reminding the public that Naziism is alter all merely one more symptom of a peculiar brand of German if ought. The school-room prepared the misguided Germany bent on conquest led by Kaiser Wilhelm, and the school-room again is active, and will again be uusy. it is feared, preaching .he false gospel of Nietschc of a suI errnan (of course. German). The strong Germany the French want to see after the war is a Germany strong in a desire to co-operate, not dominate, and French statesmen have pointed out that there is no question of vital importance to the world today ihat cannot bo settled by methods of rci.ce and collaboration, without resold to arms, which has reduced the I admired Germany of business and i commerce, learning and scientific re-' search, to the rank of a nation dos- j pised for its methods of oppression and brute force and the negation of all free thought and learning that in the past ’nave helped to make the woidd belter for humanity. I

Germany is fighting for the destruction of France (vide "Mein Kainpf"): France is fighting for the collaboration if Germany in a world of peace and goodwill’