PETAIN’S LAMENT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 August 1940, Page 5

PETAIN’S LAMENT

BROADCAST TO THE PEOPLE OF FRANCE TALK OF LAZINESS & INCOMPETENCE PROBLEMS NOW FACING GOVERNMENT. WIDESPREAD SUFFERING. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) VICHY. August 14. ‘‘Laziness and incompetence were partly responsible for France’s downfall,” declared Petain broadcasting to (be nation, lie announced that the Government was giving two billion francs to the farmers in order to offset famine.

"Sabotage and corruption led to disaster, but this bad spirit disappeared with the institution harbouring it and the men responsible for it.” Marshal Petain said. "I know the extent of the French people's suffering. There is not a single home in occupied or unoccupied France not bearing its share of suffering. “1 want Frenchmen to know that I understand their impatience and exasperation over the inadequate remedies for their ills, but these ills originated in the same causes which led the country to disaster—the demoralisation and disorganisation which invaded the body of the State like gangrene, provoking open sabotage and social disorder. Inefficiency and treachery will be punished. “The problems facing the Government further include numerous Frenchmen who have recently acquired French nationality, the repression of alcoholism, which is destroying our race, education reform, and the restoration of family life. I have observed with grief that the Government’s intentions are persistently misrepresented. “Another urgent task is the repatriation of 4,000,000 Belgian and French refugees. Between August 1 and 10. 500,000 refugees and demobilised soldiers were repatriated to various parts of unoccupied France, and 250,000 vehicles were regained in the unoccupied zone during the same period. There are also the problems of French prisoners of war and the employment of demobilised soldiers. “The'Government's first task is to procure sufficient nourishment for everybody in the coming months. The cessation of work, disruption of communications, and exodus of a large part of the agricultural population have conjured up a hideous spectre of famine. I should not be doing my duty if I did not express thanks for American and Swiss generosity as the result of which clothing and food have been sent to relieve France’s misery.

“The plight of young soldiers is receiving special attention. The Government is initiating a series of public works which will be spread over a long period and provide employment and training for the younger men. “Immediately after the armistice we asked Germany to authorise the transfer of the French Government to Paris, and this was included in the armistice terms. Germany has now informed us that, while maintaining the agreement in principle, she cannot grant this authority for technical reasons till certain material conditions are realised.”

CHAOTIC CONDITIONS DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD IMPOSSIBLE. RIOTS IN MANY PLACES. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) BASLE, August 14. The “National Zeitung” discloses that riots have occurred at many places in unoccupied France. Chaotic conditions exist throughout the country. The railways are almost at a standstill and the distribution of food is impossible. The hotels in some of the unoccupied districts, such as Toulouse, are barricaded with A.R.P. material because of the riots.

Many people are disagreeably surprised to find that the Germans are beginning to quarter families from the Ruhr and the Rhineland and other bombed districts in empty Paris apartments.

While there arc large accumulations of foodstuffs in Brittany and Normandy, other districts are hungerstricken. Unless the Vichy Government is able to obtain assistance from Wiesbaden by the autumn, all plans for reform will be worthless and the plight of millions will be severe.

It is believed that the Germans are disinclined to negotiate with the Petain Government because of its Royalist flavour. The Germans’ obstinacy over the return of Paris is believed to be due to the French refusal to permit the German occupation of all ports and the Swiss frontier.

The Supreme Court at Riom formally opened the trials of politicians and went into camera. The names of the accused were not revealed.

The prosecutor stated that documentary and other proof irrefutably showed that Ministers, former Ministers, and their subordinates had criminally abused their offices before the outbreak of war.