Wairarapa Times-Age TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 1942. ANOTHER VICHY THREAT.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 April 1942, Page 2

Wairarapa Times-Age TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 1942. ANOTHER VICHY THREAT.

'J'IIEIiE have been signs of late, notably in conferences be-

tween Marshal Petain and the notorious Pierre Laval, that lhe men of Vichy are contemplating further developments of “collaboration” with their Nazi taskmasters. The latest, item in this category is a statement by the Vichy Air Minister, General Bergeret, that the French Air Force numbers 1,000 modern planes and that: “Each British attack has earned us an authorisation to put some units into service with a view to meeting such attacks.”

It is hardly possible io read these words otherwise than as a. threat of air action against Britain, in reprisal for the attacks made by the ILA.F. on. great French war factories working for Nazi Germany, hut whether Vichy is prepared to take the risk of carrying this threat into effect still seems rather doubtful. That Laval, Darlan and others who are conspiring to make France an enslaved province of Germany are desirous of assisting the Nazis by military action as well, as in other ways is, of course, established, but they have been restrained thus far from the final step presumably by the fear of awakening a fury of popular revolt.

The possibility is not to be overlooked that Laval, Darlan and their fellow-conspirators may be preparing to complete their task of betrayal by handing over lhe French African colonies, fleet and air force to the Nazis at a time selected by Hitler in accordance ■with his spring offensive plans. Whether, however, these crowning deeds of infamy are within the power of the men of Vichy has still to be disclosed.

Evidence that an overwhelming proportion of the people of France stand definitely opposed to the Vichy regime has been afforded in various ways, not least notably in acts of industrial sabotage, of which reports escape periodically, directed to precisely the same purpose as the recent British raids on the .Renault works and other French factories producing war equipment for the Axis Powers. « The boasted legality of the Petain administration is a myth and a farce. It is true that after tin* defeat of France Alarshal Petain obtained something in the nature of a blank cheque from a depleted National Assembly, but in any approach to conditions of free election he and his associates would long ago have been swept away.

"With German backing and under the influence of various so-called “pressure groups,” of which the most powerful are said to be Big Business and the Navy, Marshal Petain and his colleagues have abolished for the time being every vestige of freedom in France, both in the national sphere and in that of local government. The “will, of resistance” of the French people, however, is not and never has been in doubt. The mass of Frenchmen look to the time when they will again have a government capable of expressing the free will of a free people. Unfortunately this by no means, averts the danger of further traitorous collusion between the Vichy usurpers and the occupying enemy. An attempt to plunge France into war with Britain no doubt would fail, ignominiously, but it cannot be assumed with the same confidence that means are to be found of preventing the transfer to the Nazis of such vital military assets as the French African colonies and fleet.