The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-05-26

Correspondent Ralph Heinzen no responsibility in the declaration of the war whose unhappy ending I had feared and predicted, l was not afraid because I knew France Is immortal and well able eventual ly to rega,n her place In the world. But I had one obseSsion: To ind o basis for discussion to establish Q clear, understanding and frank friendship to terminate forever the tragic disputes which periodically had hurled us one against the other.
 Didn't Know Hitler
 "I didn't know Hitler. speak no Germ and he speaks no French. But I defended my country; he had his in mind. We both spoke the lan- guage of the new Europe.
 "'You can crush us; you are the stronger 1 told Hitler, You can, II you desire, punish us more; we can take 1t, But because it Is a law or nature, we will one day revolt. Dur Ing our history, you've whipped us' We've beaten you, Must this go on indehnitely2 Can you agree to allow a tragic renewal Of our conflicts at a date and under conditions which we cannot foresee2 If you don't want that, If you take into consid- eration our past glory, and our pride, If you consent not to touch our honor or our vital interests, then anything is possible
 And the Chancellor replied; T will not make q peace of revenge l will not fall Into the errors Of Ver- sailleS. But do you want to eolla- borate?'"
 Did l want to collaboratep It was because ] did want to collaborate that was there, That's why we were able to draft rapidly the broad outlines of collaboration plan and agree on the capital fact that France in those conditions could after peace, play a great role in the construction of new Europe.
 Not Asked tO Surrender
 Tt would be incorrect to say more now about those talks, What l can say Is that neither then nor later was I ever asked to surrender any thing which I would be forced to refuse in consideration of the inter- eSts was then charged with de- fendng.
 "Montoir has permitted France to enter voluntarily Into n new system which will be created In Europe when the war ends, It Is evident that Fraace'S fate will be deter. mined to q large extent by the at- titude she has taken during the re- moinder of Germany'sq war with Britain. Those here and abroad who believe my country can calmly await the end of the war, make a great mistake and prepare France for e rude awakening tomorrow.
 Does that peace wherein have hope and confidence since I met Hitler, appear incompatible with the idea America has of France? cannot believe that It Is, never theless, that peace and no other which collaboration must bring to my country, Would the United States want to push France into a contrary peace--a peace of destruc- ton and division-by urging her to Spurn the extended hand of Hitler --a hand extended In Q gesture quite unique in historyP
 Not Like Other Wars
 And there's another thing. You don't seem to realize across the ocean that this isn't a war like other wars; It's & revolution from which new Europe, rejuvenated, reorganiZed and prosperous, must come, Liberty will remain, Liberty cannot durably be menaced in Q country from which the original Ideas of liberty spread to the world. Democracyp If It's the same dem- ocracy we know. the democracy which caused US so much trouble and to which we owe our present collapse We don't want 1t and we don't ask you to fight for that dem- ocraey, But we want new repub. lie, stronger, with better sinews, more reality, and we arc determined to mkae such Q republic. Those m my country who dream of returning to the old system make q great mis- take. France does not want to and won't 30 backward Along with all other nations Of Europe, France must fulhll two tasks build peace first of all then avoid unemploy- ment and disorders inherent in that condition, and build new social system,
 Message He Sends U. $.
 That's the message want to send to America. Does the United States really want to paralyze our nation cn the road to National re- coveryP Is the United States going to delay the hour when France can step boldly forward to the future, by cruel, bloody interventionP
 Tn the rebuilding of Europe, you Americans can play magnificent role, But you can play 1t only in peace. France may someday be-