Evening star., 1941-08-20
I'LL Wind in France

Ill NIHO III TTQnCe
In his recent address definitely
committing France to long-term
collaboration with the Axis, Marshal
Petain warned that he felt an 'ill
wind rising in many regions of
France" The aged leader of the
Vichy regime thus frankly admitted
the rising storm of opposition to his
policies, though he condemned it as
short-sighted and voiced his de-
termination to stamp it out.
However, all signs indicate that
repression will not be easy. Even in
German occupied France, active re-
SiStance mounts. Serious rioting in
Paris last week was put down only
with the help of German soldiers
when it threatened to get beyond
French police control. The riots were
followed by the establishment of
German courtS-martial and a procla-
nation by General Won Stuelpnagel,
commander in chief of the German
occupation forces, that the entire
population would be held responsible
for similar outbreaks in the future.
Yet the very next day, the Paris
police warned that sabotage on the
railway lines serving the capital had
grown to such an extent that the
city's food supply was endangered.
This warning was coupled with an
offer of a million francs reward for
information leading to the detection
of the saboteurS.
The most active element in this
resistance campaign seems to be the
Communists. Relatively quiescent
during the period of RuSso-German
understanding, the French Com
munists have become aggreSsively
militant since the Soviet Union and
the Third Reich are at death grips.
The Communist party was numerous
and powerful under the Third Re-
public, and though it has been
officially abolished by the. Vichy
government, the party organization
undoubtedly continues to exist un-
derground. The German forces of
occupation certainly seem to regard
it as the most dangerous opponent.
In the drastic decree already men,
toned, General Won Stuelpnagel
warned that any person engaging in
any form of Communist activity
would be considered an enemy of
Germany, brought before German
court-martial, and summarily shot.
A less violent but perhaps even
more widespread source of discomfort
centerS in the old-line politicians
who have been thrown out of jobs by
the abolition of parliamentary de-
mocracy. Marshal Petain alluded to
them also in his memorable address,
and has just struck shrewd blow
against them by removing them from
the pay roll and depriving them of
their privileges, although their sala-
ries were presumed to continue until
1912. The reputed fury of woman
scorned seems to be equaled by the
ire of these parliamentary left-overs,
suddenly deprived of their perqui-
sites. So vehement have been their
denunciations that a number of them
have been placed under administra-
tive arrest.
In France itself, the Free French"
movement of General de Gaulle does
not seem to play an important role
in the opposition to Vichy and the
Germans. OF course, no De Gaulle
organization has been tolerated, so
whatever is being done for the cause
must function secretly. Nevertheless,
De Gaulhst sympathizers are known
to exist in government circles, and
it is to weed out such persons that
Vichy is obliging all public function
aires to take a personal oath of
loyalty to Marshal Petain.
Below and beyond all these arti-
culate centers of diSaffection and
potential revolt spreads the sullen
opposition of majority of the
French people. The average French
man perhaps would be resigned to
passive acceptance of his present
hard lot if that were all. But when
the Vichy government orders him to
make common cause with his oppres-
sors, the average Frenchman in
stinctively gets his back up. That is
the most serious symptom which
Vichy has to face.
1t may be all right, these hot, lazy
davS tn Iet tho ora &C Croyu in tho hack