Evening star., 1941-08-12
America Asked
ToUnderstand
French Course
Russiun Conflict
Called Defense
OfCiviIizution'
Earlier Story on Page A-1.)

BY the Associated Press.
VICHY, Aug. 12-Marshal Pc
tain, the French Chief of State,
committed himself to full COL
laboration with Germany in a
radio address to the nation to-
night, few hours after his Vice
Premier, Admiral Jean Darlan,
had been given supreme military
powers in the Vichy regime.
The aged marshal ranged himself
squarely on the side of Germany in
the fight against Russia. which he
said was defense in the East of
civilization" and was battle which
could change the map of the
world"
Marshal Petain personally ap-
pealed to the United States for un-
derstanding and to the French for
their cooperation.
He admitted that his so-called
national revolution had failed of its
aims so far.
"RecOnciled Continent"
In committing himself to full COL
laboration with Germany, Marshal
Petain said that centuries of quar-
reling with Frances eastern neigh
Dor had to give way to larger per-
spective which by our activity can
open up a reconciled continent"
The marshal declared frankly
that that is the aim toward which
we are heading"
In a broadcast to the entire ma
ton, which was the most sensa tional
development in Vichy since the
custer of former Premier Pierre
Laval as his political heir December
13, the marshal declared he bad
given Darlan exceptional powers be-
spite the fact that public opinpn
never was always favorable nor al
ways fail" to the admiral.
Appeal to L. S.
Out u clear sky Petain appealed
to the United States, saying:
Il would like to recall to the great
has no reasons to fear a decline of
French ideals. Certainly our par
liamentary policy is dead. But it
never had more than little in COM
mon with the democracy of the
United States. AS for the instinct
of liberty-that lives always with us,
proud and strong"
He went on:
The American press has often
/ misjudged us. Let it now make an
effort to understand the quality of
our souls: the destiny of a nation
whose soil was-during the course of
| history ravaged; its
| youth decimated: its well-being
troubled by the weakness of Europe,
in whose reconstruction France in
tends today to participate"
Asks French Unity.
Speaking in the strongest terms,
/ the marshal made an obvious ef-
fort to pull the French together be-
hind his government.
He mentioned particularly the
failure of food supply and stated
that the question was one of the
most important for France at the
moment.
Without mentioning the recent
/ custer of Food Supply Minister Jean
Achard by name, the marshal told
the nation that L have already TAX
en- sanctions and struck at an entire
system in the person of a single
man: That of national distribution
centers which have assured the
great commercial agents of exclu-
sive and usurious control of all
questions Of food supply to the
detriment of the producer and con-
sumner"
The marshal opened his speech to
the nation with heavy words.
Il have grave things to tell you
he said. For the last several weeks
I have felt an i'll wind rising in
many regions of France"
The marshal added frankly: "The
authority of my government is
made subject to discussion; orders
| often are heinp ill-eXecuted"