Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-07-14
151st Anniversary
Of Basti|e Day
Finds France Broken
Reforms Of Revolution
Being CurtoiIed Under
Chief of State Petuin
- the Associated Press.

- the Associated Press.
One hundred fifty-one years ago
today French revolutionary mobs in
Paris stormed the Bastille fortress
symbol of monarchial tyranny-and
struck OF the chains of feudalism.
additionally, the day has been
. festive one down through the
years, with dancing, drinking throngs
In the streets and military parades
on Paris boulevards.
Today, however, France lies help
less in defeat at the hands of
Germany. Thousands of her soldiers
are in unmarked graves, her once
powerful navy is immobilized, mil
lions are jobless and a new au-
thoriatarian regime under Chief of
State Henri PHILIPPE Petain is tax
ing over her destiny.
1t means curtailment of a flood of
reforms following the French revo-
luton, based on the symbolic words,
liberty, equality, and fraternity"
Studied SPANS Measures.
Marshal Petain was for many
months in Spain, where he studied
the postwar reconstruction mea-
sures of his former pupil, Gen. Fran
cisco Franco.
One of his key advisers and min
listers. Gen. Maxine Weygand, sup
posedly has monarchial leanings,
and Pierre Laval, his 57-year-old
vice premier, long has been a friend
Of Premier Mussolini of Italy.
One year ago today Great Britain
sent picked troops to march in her
ally's independence day parade.
Eleven months later Nazi troops.
unimpeded, march down that same
boulevard to the Place de la Con-
corde, where French revolutionists
beheaded Louis XVI and his queen,
Marie Antoinette.
Now, almost nightly, German
bands, massed in that same square,
play operate airs to audiences of
defeated Parisians. Refugees still
clutter the city in miserable groups.
Many believe Marshal Petains au-
thoritarian rule can only be a
transitory one. Even that is sub
ject to Germany's will and peace
terms are yet to come.
Absolute Control Voted.
In voting itself out of existence,
Frances third republic parliament
subscribed to this new preamble:
l. Absolute government control Of
all political, economic, professional
and educational enterprises.
2. The establishment of each
Frenchman where he may best
serve the nation"
3. Indignation of France within
the continental system of production
and exchange"
In other words, the conclusion
Of many is that France now auto
matically goes into the Italo- German
economic orbit, with the prospect
Of enforced heavy agricultural pro-
duction to serve the war needs of
those two countries.
Unoccupied France Encircled.
Half OF France is occupied by
German troops, with the unoccupied
portion forming an island" ringed
by Germany on the north, Italy
on the southeast, Spain and the
Mediterranean Sea on the south
Facing Frances new rulers is
the task of salvaging what it can
from the wreckage of the country,
boosting employment, restoring COM
munications, and meeting the threat
OF starvation this winter.
In the midst of these problems,
the country is bitterly divided.
Many Rightist senators and deputies
are demanding punishment for those
politically, morally and militarily"
responsible for Frances plight.
Others believe that responsibility is
too broad to be fixed.
Meanwhile, the whereabouts of
many French leaders still is I'M
known to most of the world.