THE FREE FRENCH

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 9, 11 January 1941, Page 5

THE FREE FRENCH

FAITH IN WAR CAUSE ENGLISH CATHOLICS DE GAULLE PRAISED

l ßy Telegraph—Pfees Association—Copyright! Received Jan. 10, 5.5 p.m. LONDON, Jan. 9. The Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Hinsley, leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Britain, to-day expressed the faith of English Catholics in the cause for which General de Gaulle, leader of the Free French forces, is fighting.

At a luncheon in London, Cardinal Hinsley described General de Gaulle as a man who was to be honoured for keeping his faith in France and her future throughout her darkest days. He said he honoured General de Gaulle as a soldier who withstood the onslaught of superior forces and rallied the remnants of the French army to continue the fight. Cardinal Hinsley called on his fel-low-countrymen to stand fast to the Cross of Lorraine, and said: “That upright cross will stand high aloft when the crooked swastika is in the dust.” In replying, General de Gaulle said that the Free French movement was based on three elements—the conviction that France was not vanquished, the feeling that France was in honour bound to fight on, and the refusal to acknowledge a Government, that was under enemy control. “France is not vanquished," he said. "She still has her Empire, her navy, her mercantile marine, and a big reserve of gold. France is not vanquished, because her soul remains.” He gave a pledge of continued and increasing assistance by the Free French forces to the common cause, and added: "We shall wage war with all our strength, side by side with the British Empire, whose proud task it is to be the champion of freedom in the world.” Growing sympathy in France with General de Gaulle’s cause is reported to-day by the Berlin correspondent of a Swedish newspaper. He quoted a German newspaper as saying: "The French behave like victors instead of vanquished.” The correspondent said that everywhere officers and men of the French army are expressing support of General de Gaulle, and some quarters are openly working against the Germans.

MESSAGE FOR PETAIN "LIBERTY, EQUALITY AND FRATERNITYSENT BY ROOSEVELT WASHINGTON, Jan. 9. The United States President, Mr. Franklin Roosevelt, sent the Chief of the French State, Marshal Philippe Petain, a New Year message expressing the wish that "the French people may soon again enjoy the blessing of peace with liberty, equality, and fraternity." The report from Vichy that M. Platon, Marshal Petain's Minister of Colonies, stated that he was personally convinced that Britain was seeking use of French colonies as bargaining weapons at the end of the war, is regretted in London and regarded as unfortunate repetitions of the deliberate line of propaganda which the Germans themselves have been fostering for the last six months. So rife were they in October last that the Prime Minister of Britain, Mr, Winston Churchill, warned the French nation against them and added: "We do not covet anything from any nation except their respect." The pledge was so emphatic that it can be safely relied upon as a full answer to any revival ot this German propaganda.