PEOPLE OF FRANCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 November 1943, Page 4

PEOPLE OF FRANCE

AWAITING ALLIED OFFENSIVE. Among the neutrals there are none more qualified to speak of France than the Swiss. They are the immediate neighbours of the French, for the most part speak French and by constant intercourse in times of peace best understand the French and are therefore reliable observers. One such observer, a correspondent of. the “Gazette de Lausanne,” made the following comment in its issue of August 27: — "The official radio and press are far from expressing the thoughts of the French people. The mass of the French people do not believe in collaboration and do not follow the Government. This can be seen in the messages and 'speeches of the Government officials themselves, who complain about not being followed and alternate between threats and promises. “Listening to the official radio has created the impression that Germany herself does not believe any longer in her victory. Her strongest supporters in official circles or elsewhere seem to place all their hopes in a compromise peace. The French believe that nobody, ■even the most collaborationist officials, hopes for more than being able to avoid a positive defeat of the Axis. The millions of foreigners deported to work in Germany helped to throw light on Germany’s psychology and political situation by means of the contacts they created, despite everything, between the Reich and the occupied countries. This has placed in the hearts of all peoples which have not accepted defeat a hope that nothing can destroy and a passionate exception concerning the approaching Allied offensive. “As regards the German people, the French, generally speaking, feel . less hatred than suspicion. This suspicion ’will exist as long as the Nazi regime is supported or deliberately wanted by the Germans. The French suspicion of the Germans is general in all social classes, but especially among ex-service men and ex-prisoners of the first World War. Hatred, or more precisely bitterness, also exists, and if it is-’not so strong, deep' and widespread as suspicion, it is increasing daily, because of the total occupation of French territory, the deportation of workers to Germany and the tragic incidents which happen daily and cannot be avoided.”