NAZIS TIGHTEN HOLD

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 December 1940, Page 13

NAZIS TIGHTEN HOLD

ON VICHY’S FRANCE SPANISH-FRENCH FRONTIER. September 20. The taking over of the whole of France by Germany in the near future is being freely predicted by German officers in the occupied zone (wrote Vaughan Henry, in the London “Daily Telegraph” on September 20). This is what I gather from responsible neutrals, including diplomats, who have just arrived here from Paris, Bordeaux and other occupied districts. They have had extended opportunities for observation in various parts of both zones, and are themselves convinced that signs point more and more conclusively to the elimination of the Vichy Government and the occupation of the unoccupied areas, possibly within the next 60 days.

A sharp swing-about in the German troops’ attitude during the last three weeks—from assurance and jovial anticipation to concern and depression, especially among the higher officers —is also reported. Growing tension and irritability are evident. There is no more talk, as previously, of “lunch in Paris and flying over for ‘five o’clock’ (tea) in London.” The net effect of the news of the situation in England and British bombing in Germany proper, plus continuing destructive raids on airfields and supply depots in the occupied zone, has been to make the German forces much less sure of themselves. The change in the officers of the. occupation at Bordeaux after the highly effective R.A.F. raid on oil stores there on August 21 was especially marked. They are expressing their new mood by a heightening and tightening of authority. Superficial “correctness” is still maintained, but there is a great increase of arbitrariness, regulation and insistence on perfect compliance. Bickerings between the Vichy Government and Paris are endless, with no concrete results. Negotiations to permit the resumption of French business are dragging, and business except of a purely local kind is at a virtual standstill. Friction between the two Governments and the sense of suspense through both zones are aggravated by the complete seperation between the two zones, with no travel' or postal communications. The German-dominated Paris Press daily intensifies , its attacks on Vichy. Entirely separate editions (with different contents) of what are nominally the same newspapers are published in the two zones. Only the editions from the unoccupied zone are exported to neighbouring neutral countries. The punishment for merely transferring a copy of a newspaper from either zone to the other extends to the death penalty.

HARSH REQUISITIONS While technically the Germans observe the armistice terms in their ’dealings with the unoccupied zone, they are stretching the provisions far beyond any intention. “Control commissions” in unoccupied areas, for example, have, more the character of small armies. In Bergerac, 60 kilometres withir ithe “free” zone, the control commis-

sion, invested, apparently permanently, in hotels and requisitioned villas since July, consists of fully 200 troops and officers: a whole company armed and in uniform, quite adequate to take over the whole defenceless city of 50,000 should occasion arise. On a specious pretext, this ‘control commission’’ has taken over entirely the big local powder works. It is probably for that reason that it was sent there. Similarly imposing “control commissions” have installed themselves for an indeterminate period at Perigueux, about 120 kilometres inside the “free” zone, and at Montpelier,' in the south. On the pretext of checking big stores of abandoned war materials in both places, motor-cars and lorries, tractors, petrol and other supplies, as well as munitions, have been taken over. How many other such commissions there are at strategic points within the unoccupied zone not even the Vichy officials appear clearly to know. In addition, various “inspection” and “purchasing committees,” always in full military regalia, appear less permanently, but very frequently, with consequent detriment to local supplies in the unoccupied districts. In Casteljaloux, 25 kilometres within the unoccupied zone, an informant saw 50 big trucks of petrol being loaded under supervision of such a visiting committee for removal to the occupied zone. 4 Mayors and local French officials dread spch visitations, which result in the requisitioning of petrol, oil, food supplies of all kinds, and even silk stockings and other luxury articles. “War materials” are simply taken over. The food and wearing apparel are paid for, in francs. But once they are gone there are usually no replacements. Conditions in general are much better in the occupied than in the unoccupied zone. This difference appears deliberately created and fostered, and is, of course, only possible because of the rigid safeguarding of the line of demarcation between the zones. There is much more food in the occupied zone; the . unoccupied areas have been bled for it.

Butter, eggs, sugar and even soap are obtainable, as they are not, at any price, in most of the unoccupied zone. Prices have been kept down by strict German control; they are Approximately 50 pex’ cent, higher on similar items in the unoccupied zone, even if the goods are obtainable.

FURLOUGHS IN PARIS Two and a-half million German soldiers are quartered in the occupied zone. The individuals change, but the number remains fairly constant. Many of them, especially among the 250,000 to 300,000 in Paris, are soldiers on leave, enjoying their furlough. In a sense the entire occupied zone has been turned into a pasture for this huge herd of soldiery, saving Germany the problem of feeding them for the time being. Communications are. also much better in the occupied part, where trains run on time and regularly. The need of extending order to the unoccupied areas, and especially of dealing with unemployment, will probably serve as the philanthropic pretext for the extension of the German command over all France, either through a Paris puppet government or directly. In both zones the French are be-

ginning to realise the extent of their misfortune. Their first dazed reaction has changed to worry and depression. Eighty per cent, in both zones, now that Britain has shown the possibility of resistance, are hoping for her vic- [ tory as a means of escape from their j own predicament. The first faint hope in Petain has vanished entirely. De Gaulle, were it possible, would be acclaimed by an overwhelming majority. To turn from France to Belgium. I have been able to read and ’will quote from a letter which deals with conditions in Belgium, the rising disaffection among the German forces in occupation, and the recognised efficacy fo the R.A.F. offensive over the Belgian border. It is the letter of one who was formerly a prominent official and is still in Brussels; written there in early Septembei- and'successfully smuggled through to his friends near here. Excerpts from the letter follow: “All of us shut up here in Belgium are certain the English will be victorious! Their bombers come over often, though our newspapers say not a word of it. All our aerodromes have been turned into smoking ruins and new factories demolished. Yesterday I witnessed a succession of bombardments from one in the afternoon up to midnight, and again at one and two in the morning; all directed at petrol stores and factories. No alarms were sounded. “We hear that the morale in Germany itself is very low since they have been bombarded regularly; they had not been taught to expect that. We treat our own occupying German forces with disdain and ignore them as much as possible. They pretend not to notice this . . . but lately their leaders are showing a terrible fear. They have no wish but to return to their homes as quickly as possible. They are in no mood to stay on here, any more than we are to have them here.

“No Belgian has any real voice here now. The King (Leopold) doesn’t get on with them (the Germans). He wanted to name and (names given, but I have been asked not to repeat them) to direct our interests, but the Germans did not allow it. The control of the Belgian nation has been sold out utterly! Our newspapers are unreadable.

FRIGHTFUL EXISTENCE “Listening to England on the TSF is forbidden, on penalty of a. severe sentence to hard labour. Police functions are left to us, but the real control is German. Our existence has become frightful and despicable . . . we are constantly under a menace and not an iota of liberty is left us. “Daily living is terrible; wie all ask how we are going to survive the winter. Communications are badly disrupted. Bread is grey and costs 2 francs 40—the mark is 12 francs 50. Milk is almost impossible to get, even for .the children. We tint everything we can get hold of for the winter, but they have left us hardly anything. Even in restaurants one; has to have special war stamps to get fats, bread, meat, etc. “Since Aug. 10 stamps. havg been required for practically everything; 36 foods are so restricted. Dress materials are entirely unobtainable. There are no cigarettes.. Chocolate is rationed at 5 grammes a day (ah in-

finitesimal quantity) and difficult to find.

“Our shops are practically cleaned out; every day more shops close entirely. In a month we expect to have no more coffee or butter, and next to no bread. Butter, and by that I mean margarine, of course, is already obtainable only on the Black Bourse at 100 francs a kilogramme. “Wholesale stocks have been taken over. Every day factory directors and business managers are harassed by new restrictions. On August 31 all foreign holdings and gold had to be registered, on the strictest orders. Why? we are asking. When it suits our masters people are thrown out of their properties and their homes requisitioned, on 48 hours’ notice. “All the coalfields are being worked after a fashion, but a tenth of the miners have been compelled to go over to the other side (German coalfields). We hear definitely that all the possessions of Jews are going to be confiscated. As yet there is no open persecution of the Jews . . . but they are ‘encouraged’ to apply for exit visas, which the rest of us ’ would like to get but cannot. “Many of the abandoned ministries and empty houses are now packed with German refugees. Those who left Germany. without permission, or failed to return when supposed to are going to be subjected to a terrific inquisition; they will be broken entirely. It is intimated that it will be the death penalty in very many cases.”