The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-05-28
By UNCENSORED


AS last week ended a new channel
to war opened before Americans And
| it was one which few Americans could
relish, for the channel led to war with
France. What happened was that
Admiral Darlan conferred with Adolf
Hitler and Frances entrance into Hit
ler's New Order became a foregone
conclusion Whether Franco-German
collaboration could have been avoided
by feeding Frenchmen, whether it was
an unacceptable relation of the con-
quered to the conqueror, or whether
trend - for better or worse = toward
continental unification became AGA
demic issues. President Roosevelt's
plea to the French people drew soft
but bitter reply from Vichy spokes-
men, and there were gloomy hints
that a diplomatic break with France
was imminent
The threat to the Western Henri
sphere is explained, of course, by
pointing to Frances Western Hem
isphere possessions But it is ex-
planned rather glibly. Just how Mar
Unique VIRTUALLY surrounded by U. S.
forces), Saint Pierre and Miquelon Tin
the shadow of Newfoundland, or
French Guiana could be reinforced be-
fore U. S. warships and bombers could
act is not explained. If the Amer
lean republics by joint action do take
over French colonies, future Axis
moves will be foiled anyway
Just how Dakar in West Africa
could be used as a base against the
Western Hemisphere as long as U. S.
warships were afloat and U. S. flying
fortresses were in the air was not
explained either. The fact is that
Dakar is no fleet base, and lacks the
repair facilities for large ships which
a good base must have. Yet the Com
mittee to Defend America by Aiding
the Allies was quick to produce a
statement echoing Senator Peppers
exhortation of 10 days before. The
CDAAA wanted the President to state
that the U. S. would never permit the
Axis to control Dakar, the Azores,
the Cape Verdes, and the Canaries
Angles
In the State Department the social
aspects of Franco-German collabora-
ton are receiving as much considera
ton as the military and colonial as
poets. Adolf Hitler is expected to
make big concessions to France-not |
because he wants to, but 50 that he |
can be sure that the French indus
trial machine will operate at full |
strength for the benefit of the nazi
machine. When this hap |
pens, the British will have no recourse
but to drop their bombs on French
munitions factories. What they are
in the State Department
he morale of the French workers, or
whether the workers will become ar
lently anti-British. 1t may depend on
low well the nazis play the social
evolutionary angle.
Apparently the nazis have been
playing that angle pretty shrewdly
According to reports received in Wash
uSIOuJ IudLy VI lie fT6nCnDlSn VINO
lave been sent to Germany TO work
lave found themselves treated as
veil, if not better, than they had been
It home. Other Frenchmen have been
ent to Munich for ''indoctrination"
long the nazi line. The State De-
artment has found that both groups,
teurning or writing home, have al
cred the view of considerable sec ,
ions of the French populace toward ,
he nazis. !
But it is doubtful whether there is
nything that the nazis could Go by !
themselves which would rouse much +
I'VE for them among Frenchmen If :
ne thoroughgoing, popular collabora-
on of French workers ever is
chieved by Hitler, it may be achieved
y Indirect means-namely, the influ-
nee of the Soviet Union If Hitler ]
oncludes another deal with Josef d
talin-some sort of a deal making t
lie U. S. S. R. virtually an Axis mem a
er at last is expected in Washington C
he may have big lever with which p