REVIVING FRANCE.

Evening Star, Issue 25069, 10 January 1944, Page 2

REVIVING FRANCE.

M. Marcel Deat's appeal to Frenchmen for a united front to oppose an Allied lauding in France conies with the effrontery of desperation at the present hour. All that can be said for it is that it comes naturally enough from M. Deat, who; like quislings in all the occupied countries, lias his own skin to consider when he looks forward to the restoration of his country, a prospect which for him, therefore, can contain nothing but dread. A year and a-half ago he was described as the leading Paris quisling and one of the most active collaborators with Germany. He was then advising that France should sign the anti-Comintern Pact and send a whole division to fight the Russians. That advice was not taken by his countrymen, and as affairs have gone worse and worse with the Germans and especially with their Russian front they must be increasingly glad that it was rejected. Now, when M. Deat says " we have a strong Government," and urges it to deal more and more rigorously with all who espouse the Allies' cause, he makes a _ false statement preface to advice that is not needed.

Even the Vichy Government has been little more than a name since the Germans occupied the whole country. A subject of speculation has been whether the doddering Marshal Petain, who at least did his best to put his own interpretation, much more moderate than M. Deat's, on. collaboration, is even conscious of events at this stage. The Germans rule, to the extent that rule can be enforced, and the underground movement that co-operates with the Allies and joyously awaits the hour of liberation knows that it does so at its peril. Yet the forces directed by the Council of Resistance and the secret training of troops increase. Prominent quislings have been afraid to appear on the streets because of resentment i'elt for their activities, in connection with the St. Nazaire commando raid it was reported that when members of

the raiding party were killed Francliiiien took up the toinmy-iKuns from the hands of tho dead and " went forward into the fight side by side with the commandos, shooting like professionals." They believed the invasion had started, and their only thought was revenge against tho occupying troops. They will do that again.