Evening star., 1941-01-18

defeat, seven years after the Ger
man revolution and 18 years after
the italian revolution, but in spirit
entirely different from both Of these
historic revolutions.
1T aims-by breaking with the
past-to restore community disci-
plines, to restore quality in labor,
fecundity in family life and a more
compelling, ervasive sense of La
Patrie.'
These ideals are nearer to the
soil of France. more intimate to
her true destiny.
"As yet. this revolution has only
just begun. With time it will be
realized and its true Towering will
come in the harmoniZing of social
conditions and in the restoration of
security for the worker and peasant
alike.
There you have true revolution
and revolution wanted. believe me,
by the whole French people!'
In his third question your cor
respondent said that no one COM
ing here from abroad could fail to
be impressed by the atmosphere of
calm discipline and something that
might be called collective consent.
(Of course one realizes that meas
ures are taken. The papers an
nounce the removal of elective off,
cials and functionaries of the "old
regime" meaning the late Repub-
lican regime. and the arrests Of
Communists" One reads of the
imprisonment for one year of a
lady innkeeper in Clermont- -Ferrand
charged with "Gaulliste activity.')
Mediation and Discipline.
The question went on. "All this
is hardly compatible with the ira
ditional idea of revolution. And in
recent speeches Of NJ Baudouin, the
ex-minister. I have seen accented
the fact that the marshal's regime
warded of danger of civil war
The marshal was asked to explain
what administrative and police
measures are applied to insure that
orders given as paternal precepts
will be enforced.
The marshal said:
preparation for such high task
(the national revolution) can only
take place in the midst of medita-
ton and discipline. Any agitation,
any improvisation would most
gravely hinder its realization.
There is not the usual troubled,
bloody background of street riots
and palace plots which is the usual
thing in revolutions What you
have remarked is indeed the back
ground-the decor-most appropri-
ate to the prelude of a revolution
that is both silent and far-reaching
ITO safeguard the interests of
the national revolution, civil war had
first to be avoided and then factional
rivalries done away with"
In his last question, this corre-
spondent said the marshals posi-
ton had come to be better under
stood in America and that there was
growing sympathy for his personal
efforts. Would he not then per-
sonally review what he himself con-
sidered to be the principal achieve
ments of his seven months in power?
And would he himself say how
Americans could most effectively
demonstrate their sympathy for the
French people in these difficult
moments?
The marshal replied:
France felt that America would
understand and is both proud and
happy that she has. France does
not doubt that with time this move
ment of understanding and SYM
pathy will grow still more.
France has lost neither her per-
Sonality nor her soul. She has not
gone back on her history. Situated
as she is at the western end Of Eu-
rope, she aspires to serve as bridge
between American currents Of civili-
zation and developments in Eu-
ropean thought-to become the link
between the two continents.
After this war there will come
unavoidably-an organization of the
continent of Europe. In this or
ganization France intends to be an
associate and to collaborate Loyalty
therein with the hope of establish
ing a lasting and solid peace both
in Europe and the world. The bet
ter to prepare herself for this role,
France must first of all devote her
efforts to her own reconstruction.
Evidence of her will to accom-
plish this can be seen in the rapid
ity and the order with which she
has managed-with the cooperation
of the authorities of occupation-to
repatriate her demobilized soldiers
and her refugees; to rebuild her
bridges and her roads; to organize
under the aegis of 'SecourS National
effective relief on nation wide
scale; to reopen to her youth the
universities and the playing fields;
to restore abandoned mines to op-
Grafton and to revive her older types
of cultivation. It Is a far-reaching
program.
"And I will add that the calm and
dignity of our people in the occupied
zone and the loyalty of our native
authorities in the empire have i'm
pressed the world.
In France the people know well
that the first steps toward recovery
have already been taken. They have
never doubted that the United
States, however upset at first by our
defeat at arms, would Ia turn como