Evening star., 1940-12-09
Vichy Sees Donovan
Trip as u. 5. Move
Toward Peace
Tremendous Hopes
Ruised in French
Appeusement Circles
BY PAUL GHALI,

VICHY. Dec. 9.-The feeling that
the United States is beginning to
turn aside from the sword OF war
to grasp the peaceful olive branch
increased here during the week end
following the news that new
emissary from the American ad-
ministration," in the person of Col
William J. Donovan, was being sent
to Europe on an information trip"
(Col. Bill Donovan, wartime
commander of the Fighting
69th," visited England last sum-
mer as personal envoy of Sec
retary of the Navy Knox. He
left New York aboard the At
lantic Clipper on Saturday, on
secret governmental mission. as
confirmed by State Department
officials. At Bermuda his plane
has been delayed by inclement
oceanic weather but it is Sched-
uled to renew its flight to lisbon
this afternoon)
Col. Donovan's journey recalls the
memorable visit which UnderSecre-
tary of State Sumner Welles paid to
France last summer-a visit which
particularly awakened French minds
70 the motives of American ennis
earies. No American of any i'm
portance can reach Vichy without
being suspected of mysterious do
tngs.
Raises Tremendous HOPES,
Nobody here really knows if Col.
Donovan will some to Vichy. May
be he won't. But the single fact
that an official American emissary
is coming to Europe. at this time,
does raise tremendous hopes in local
appeasement circles.
Rightly or wrongly, Frenchmen do
not quite realize that what can be
desired by people like Wall Street
promoters or businessmen of the Ben
Smith and Charles BedeauX type, is
not necessarily the sentiment Of the
= American Government and public
opinion, and that Col. Donovans S
mission may be of a totally differ
ent nature from what it is believed
to be here.
OF late Frenchmen have had
other reasons to suppose that peace,
through combined Franco American
mediation, is not althogether an i'm
possibility. Two mysterious German
emissaries, of whom nothing is
known-not even their names-were
rumored to have left Germany a
Sr,ea a,ip q hlN
on pilgrimage of peace.
Visit by Ben Smith.
Vichy also has had the pleasure
OF visit from Mr.. Smith. Mr.. Smith
was received by cabinet offlcials,
but Stunned by Marshal Petain,
chief Of state, and his mission
again Of appeasement-was said to
have been under the auspices of
American business interests.
Another inveterate appeaser is ex-
pected here this week in the person
Of Mr.. Bedeaux, who was recently as
signed by French Foreign Minister
Pierre Laval to the task Of increas-
ing coal production in French
Morocco.
Mr.. Bedeaux' relations with M.
Laval are no secret, as also his
friendship with the Duke Of Wind
sor, now governor Of the Behamas,
who is admitted to have charming
personality, but is certainly "un-
bellicose" and pro-appeasement. 1t
may be recalled that the dukes plans
to visit the United States with his
duchess two or three years ago were
upset when q Baltimore labor group
staged a protest demonstration be-
cause of Windsors association with
M. BedeauX, disliked for his speed
up" system.
Thus last but not least, in the
wake of all this. comes the an
nouncement of Col. Donovans mis-
sion.
May Go to London First.
Col. Donovan, it is said here, is
going to London first from Lisbon
and French imaginations are quick
to draw conclusions-forgetting. or
not knowing, that Col Donovan,
reputedly ro-English. is not likely
to work for appeasement at the
present stage.
French circles also have been i'm
pressed lately by the fact that the
Germans apparently have made no
effort to help their italian allies.
This leaves people here wondering
II the Germans are specially desir-
Gus that Italy should mark up a
success.
A British Greek success against
Italy unquestionahly would help
Great Britain toward accepting
mediation. as mediation is easier
between two victors than between
victor and vanquished
Thus the feeling is increasing here,
In some circles, that the moment
might be ripe when a new peace
effort could be made. and that the
interest of the United States would
be to favor this peace rather than
launch itself into tremendous and
expensive war preparations.
Christmas is the period when
hearts soften and the world soon
may be faced with a new peace
offensive.
Copyright, 1910. Chicago Daily News. Inc