Evening star., 1941-01-26

D"iHg me DOhtHS precedlng the
collapse OF France, NJ Mori2e Uas
director OF the French Ministry of
information He is at present pro-
lessor OF French Hterature'at HARVARD
University and chairman OF the de-
partment OF history and literature.
Nv HAT were the causes of the collapse
w of France? I have always objected
to the practice of one nation lecturing
another. and l am here offering no prac-
tical advice as to what lessons" can be
derived from the defeat of France.
Simply as witness. without any special
lied competence, should like to describe
certain factors which seem to me to
have been decisive in that catastrophe.
"Treachery' must be eliminated as
major cause of the French defeat.
Daladier, Gamelin, Reynaud and many
others were good Frenchmen, but de-
flclent in many ways. l believe they
wanted to serve France; unfortunately,
they did not know how. They can be
sent before supreme courts or courts
martial today or tomorrow; I am quite
sure that no actual treason or treachery
will be brought to light. They were not
up to the task and that is all France
was not betrayed, France was conquered.
Let's be good sports about it.
For France, the lesson was bitter. To
organize and to wage the war, Germany
had-still has-an extraordinary crew.
Hitler is genius, with all the character
lstlcS of genius. In many ways, he is
ripe for the insane asylum, but, like
many inmates he is gifted with tre-
mendouS vision, complete SCon for
conventional ethics, an absolute diSdain
for mediocre contingencies that may
stand in his way. He is visionary and
impractical, half-baked culturally and
myStically enthusiastic about his own
ends; a tremendous inspiration. crea-
tive of fanaticiSm and unbounded devo-
ton.
Powerful Accomplices.
This man has found to help him
group of accomplices whose positive
qualities exactly complement his faults
and deficiencies. Goering, GoebbelS. Won
Ribbentrop. the military, naval and high
commanders, supply everything Hitler
lacks; the team may be just what We
call unscrupulous and despicable gang
sters. but it is an admirable and power
full team
France had no such team. France had
no leaders of genius. France had no
man for the unforeseen task. France
was defeated And this is lesson.
Era in,
health to face the challenge of events.
Internal quarrels, petty party discords,
weak stand against extremist perils
of Fascism or Communism. self-com-
placency, general weakening of the nerv-
Gus system of the nation-all this is true
enough.
Plenty also has been said in France
While defeated generals were being
decorated in Clermont-F -Ferrand after the
armlstice, the reactionary leaders of the
new government were loudly denouncing
the failures of democracy, the rotting of
the regime which had led France to her
disaster.
This is a lesson too. reminding us that
democracy is a delicate and sensitive
VI SdIliSlI, NiiOSt Iltdllll CCll De ullOeI
mined by various microbes which are
not essentially peculiar to the French
political climate. There must be some
sort Of political hygiene for each and
every great democratic body in the
world of today.
There is the lesson about propaganda.
Some of us, French, British or Amer
leans. thought We knew what the word
and the thing signified A few months
in Paris convinced me that we had no
idea what German propaganda actually
represents.
We thought it meant a sort of inten-
sive advertising, intended to present
things and ideas in certain favorable
light, to impose upon an unguarded
public certain views, opinions or theories.
The French had word for it: they
called it "bourrage de crane" and, hav-
ing sense of humor, they thought they
could deal with it with a laugh, or, at
least. an understanding smile.
But propaganda "a la Goebbels' is
something serious, far-reaching and
deadly. 1t is a weapon, and a poisonous
one.
War Of Propaganda.
We had eight months of what was
wittily called here "a phony war" with
nothing happening, just sitting down
and waiting. Waiting for the beginning
of the real thing
We failed to realize that during those
eight months, day and night, hour after
hour, Germany was waging war, and
not a phony war, but a destructive,
corroding, and, to use Hitlers own word,
"rotting' war-the war of propaganda.
What does it mean?
1t means first a tremendous machin-
cry, with thousands of we'll trained men,
unlimited resources, uncanny ingenuity.
1t means, for instance. having 135
agents in Brussels alone, each one with
a definite job, penetrating, like the
tentacles of an octopus, each and every
profession, administration, educational
| institution social circle, trade or craft
1t means being able to oppose to q
dozen French radio stations about IS
powerful outfits broadcasting at the
rate Of 20 to "a hours a day.
1t means repeating in an obsessing
manner some slogans or simple ideas
| which, in the long run, permeate the
public opinion of the enemy country
act on its morale, warp its normal way
of thinking.
1t means distributing literature
pamphlets, fake newspapers, personal