FRENCH FEARS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20598, 24 June 1930, Page 10

FRENCH FEARS.

WAR WITH GERMANY.

LOOKING TO THE COLONIES

" France is never witlicmt tho fear that some clay there will bo a recurrence of war with Germany. That fear seems to be ineradienbly implanted in the frenchman." This view was expressed by Mr. A. S. Henry, in a speech on French colonisation to members of tho National Club in Sydney lately. " Realising that alio cannot hold her own with Germany," Mr. Henry proceeded, " France looks to her oversea empire, particularly to tho north of Africa, to make up her deficiency in men, to win that conflict. In tho last war 800,000 combatants from that country participated, while 220,000 labourers wero taken from other French colonial possessions to work in France. In tho next war sho,hopes that tho number will be.greater still. Franco, by her military am mr and good treatment, has undoubtedly won tho esteem and affection of the black race." Mr. Henry traced tho history of French colonisation, and said that although tho colonies wero acquired and developed against tho wishes of French people as a whole, they had proved of great, value to the Motherland. They wore also being developed for the benefit of native races French territory overseas now comprised 4,500,000 square miles, with a population of about 60,000,000. Practically all of tho territory had been acquired in tho last 100 years.