Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-03-10
DOROTHY
THOMPSON
Finds:
Good Words for France,
But Not for Vichy

(Ths opinions expressed by
Miss Thompson are her oun
and not nseessariiy those OF The
Detroit Times.)
TIME magazine this week carries
l. a long article on the French
and their friends in the United
States. dividing Frenchmen and
friends Of France into three cate
CORES: the Vichyites. the De Gaul-
lists and those who aren't classifi-
able under either heading.
The American pablic Is certainly
in a dilemma of feeling regarding
France. and the statement or me
Vichy thesis in the article in Time
is hardly calculated TO contribute
10 clarity. This is the statement:
France did not collapse;
France was beaten. after hope
less fight Under the terms OF
the armistice France may do
nothing to help Britain-but
France will do nothing to help
Germany. France must collabo-
rate with Germany until Ger
many loses the war. but France
hopes Germany will lose. Mean
while, France must be fed, be-
cause starvation will drive
France into Germany's arms
I SUBMIT that this is one Of the
i most remarkably confusing
statements ever issued on a mat
ter of policy.
If France did not Collapse. but
was beaten in hopeless tight,
why is the Vichy government hold,
ing former French political and
military leaders for trial IN Rom :
Apparently somebody has to be
held responsible for the lost war
and so NJ. Blum, Paul Renaud. M.
Daladier and General Gamelln have
been picked !, -
Just why il should be these men
and not the group who from the
beginning held that it was "a
phony war" and sabotaged the
defense effort all the time is with
out an answer if one takes the
statement as sincere that France
hopes Germany will lose"
TNHE Vichy. government. 10 De
i sure. is a prisoner OF the Nazls.
II is hardly in a position to hit
the banner of De Gaulle on French
soil. But it does not need 70
SANDER and prosecute the DE
Gaullists either-if it really hopes
Germany will lose the war
After all. if France hopes Ger
MANY will lose-which is tanta-
mount to hoping Britain will win
then France must allow Britain
TO conduct the war as Britain
sees fit
HOW in the world can the Vichy
II government "collaborate with
Germany" and. at the same time.
do so only until Germany loses
the war" and, at the same time.
maintain the hope that Germany
will lose?
According to Webster. collabora-
ton means Ito labor together ana
work or act jointly" If that is
what Vichy is doing. then Vichy
is certainly not doing nothing 10
help Germany" You can't "collab-
crate" and do nothing to help.
The truth is that the Vichy
thesis is thoroughly insincere. The
Vichy government does not want
the Germans to lose. The Vichy
government does not want the
British and the De Gaullists to
win. Because in that case the
Vichy government would be swept
from the pages of history.
TIIIS column was never part-
L san of the policies of NJ. Blum
nor an enthusiast for nj. Dafadier
or Gamelin. Yet the most contro-
versial figure. M. Blum, is an
incorruptible character, and mis-
behavior. since the collapse Of
France. has been of a calm dig
nifty that puts some others to
shame.
NJ. Blum has a son who is
prisoner of war of the Germans.
Just as much a prisoner of war as
any other Frenchman son.