“BEATEN ONLY ON PAPER.”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 June 1940, Page 4

“BEATEN ONLY ON PAPER.”

AT first glance, a statement by General de Gaulle that the capitulation of France to Germany and Italy “exists only on paper,” may appear to be nothing better than an oratorical flourish. In a definite sense, however, it is a good deal more than that. Apart from the fact that there are still great forces of resistance in the French Empire, it is obviously true, as Mr J. B. Priestley has said in a broadcast, that the people of France have not been beaten, but have been sold out. The full facts have yet to be brought into the open, but an entirely credible explanation of much that has occurred was given by an American correspondent, quoted in one of yesterday’s cablegrams, who said in part:—

The Belgian debacle started with treason on the Meuse and the Albert Canal, where bridges were not destroyed through German bribery, added to which there was treason near Sedan, where the French “forgot” to blow up six bridges. It was persistently reported that this was due to German bribes in high French quarters.

Evidence already is mounting up that the victory of the Germans in France was gained over an army that was prevented by internal treachery from doing itself anything like justice. No one, presumably, will dream of suggesting that the Italians had any material part in bringing about, the French collapse.

In spite of all that has been said about the formidable might of the German armies and German armaments, the overshadowing fact of the war to date is that the Germans have been successful only against opponents naturally weak or weakened by internal treachery. Czechoslovakia was deluded into submitting. Poland was overwhelmed by weight of numbers and material. Denmark was too weak to resist aggression. Norway was defeated by internal treachery. Had she succeeded in defending- even one main port and airfield there would have been, in her ease, a very different story to tell. Holland had been effectively white-anted by the Nazis and Belgium was betrayed by her king and some of her other leaders, though her Government, like that of Holland, still stands gallantly with the Allies.

Of all the countries attacked, none more obviously has been beaten by treachery and betrayal, and not by force of arms, than France. The facts are established not least impressively in the complete failure of the Germans to overwhelm the British and Allied forces enveloped on the Channel coast. A genuinely formidable army undoubtedly would have prevented the successful evacuation from Dunkirk. The contrast between that memorable conflict and its outcome and what happened subsequently further south can be accounted for on no other ground than that of treachery which undermined the fighting power of France.

On these facts, Britain and her remaining allies, united, proved and resolute, have every reason to face the future with confidence. We may be sure that any white-anting that is attempted in Britain will be dealt with promptly and effectively. That fact means that in attacking Britain Nazi Germany is deprived of the weapon on which she has hitherto relied largely and to which she owes chiefly the measure of success she has meantime gained.