FRENCH ARMY IS STRONG

Southland Times, Issue 23989, 2 December 1939, Page 5

FRENCH ARMY IS STRONG

Confidence Shown By M, Daladier BLOW FOR BLOW AGAINST NAZIS (United Press Assn. —Telegraph Copyright) PARIS, November 30. M. Edouard Daladier, Prime Minister of France, reading the Government declaration on the occasion of the first meeting of the French Parliament since the war began, described the German mines as convincing proof of the failure of the submarine campaign. The war, he added, was due to a systematic German effort to dominate Europe. It was not yet time to discuss peace aims. “Peaee must be based on material guarantees, extending to all free nations,” he said, ‘‘but we must first win the war. That is our only object at the present. The French have seen their lands ravaged in their own lifetime and are resolved it shall not happen again.” M. Daladier added that the French forces were strong enough to break enemy attacks with a minimum of losses and a certainty of success. M. Daladier paid a tribute to the attitude of the United States, which knew that her arms would be used to defend her own democratic principles. M. Daladier declared it was possible that Germany would loose all her forces of destruction before a just peace was established. “France,” he said, “will return blow for blow. If the Germans’ destructive fury falls on our villages and towns we shall hit back at Germany with the same severity.” Ridiculing the propaganda that Britain was not equally sharing sacrifices with France, M. Daladier pointed out that the answer to this was the speedy presence of Dominion forces on French battlefields to fight for common ideals.

Adducing further reasons for the failure of the German attempts to divide Britain and France, M. Daladier pointed out that the British loss of life thus far had been higher than the French.

The fate of the war would, however, depend not merely on military operations but also on the evolution of international politics. Italy’s policy was the greatest contribution to peace in the Mediterranean. The French efforts were at present directed toward the restoration of normal economic relations with Spain. France would lay down her arms only when able to treat with a German Government whose signature would bind her actions. Referring to the inactivity on the Western Front, M. Daladier said that the whole country should know that this was favourable to Britain and

France, who were accumulating powerful means to permit an attack, if necessary at the right moment, with the certainty of success. M. Daladier closed his speech with a demand for the renewal of full powers, adding that he would make the question one of confidence if objections were raised. The Army Committee refused by nine votes to three to agree to M. Daladier’s request for procedure powers unless they were modified. M. Daladier flatly refused modification. However, efforts were immediately begun to work out a compromise and the Army Committee approved of the rewritten decree and the Bill was passed by 14 votes to nine.