GERMANS DISSATISFIED WITH LAVAL

Southland Times, Issue 24756, 29 May 1942, Page 5

GERMANS DISSATISFIED WITH LAVAL

(Special Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.)

LONDON, May 27.

David Low, the well-known cartoonist, sums up the situation in France in a cartoon showing a pompous Mussolini sitting on a struggling Laval, who is lying on a prostrate Petain, while Hitler squats, directing them and holding sheaves of papers marked “more collaboration,” Low’s caption is “The Squeeze Process.”

There are various views on the position. one being that Laval knows Mussolini cannot act without Hitler’s consent. while Laval may have received some assurance from Hitler, probably in return for promises to help Germany. Another viewpoint is that Hitler is in a dilemma as to how to reconcile two evasive junior partners for he wants to squeeze the maximum advantages from both, but has to balance Italian military against French economic collaboration. Events on the Russian front may make military help from Italy of more immediate value to Germany than long-range dubious advantages of economic aid from France.

The opinion is also expressed that despite Laval’s fawnings Germany realizes he has failed to make real headway in securing French collaboration in the prosecution of the war while since Laval came to power active resistance and sabotage have increased and Germany’s western front is less secure than it was six weeks ago. There is such a maze of intrigues in Vichy that a summing up of the position is difficult, but from the. Allies point of view there are definite and encouraging signs that France is steadily recovering her spirit, aided by doubts whether Germany can win, even if helped by the French Fleet. One American view is that history may show the Saint Nazaire raid as the turning point for France. The townspeople hailed the commandos as liberators and arms appeared from nowhere. The general opinion is that Laval so far has been an extremely bad bargain for France, Vichy and even Germany and there are signs that events are moving too fast for him and that unless he guides and dominates them more his days of power may well be numbered.