Evening star., 1942-11-15
Complete Collapse Of France
Holds Historic Implications
Struggle by Both Sides to Appropriate Assets of
Defunct Republic Is Outstanding Feature;
Its People Must Be Pro-Ally or Pro.Axis
By Feir Morley.

nominal and precarious independence.
Much Of the United Nations, with Free
French Endorsement, have now seized
most of the colonies of France. so the
Axis, with support of the Doriot school
of collaborationists, has now assumed
complete authority over the mother
country. France, as a sovereign nation,
has in the past week ceased to exist.
Pro-Ally or Pro-Axis.
No result of the war, not even the
implications in the present worldwide
disposition of American forces, equals
in historic significance this complete
collapse of French independence. And
with this collapse there terminates also
the valiant though bitterly criticized ef-
fort to maintain neutrality which Mar
shall Petain has consistently exerted
since he was called to power to retrieve
what was possible after the crushing
defeat of June, 1910.
BY force of bitter circumstance no
Frenchman, at home or abroad, can now
any longer remain impartially pro-
French. His position, no matter what the
leanings of his heart and mind, must
now be first and foremost either pro-
Ally or pro-Axis. His actions, so far as
he is able to act at all. must now be di-
rected toward aiding Germany or aiding
the United Nations. He can only hope
that these actions, whatever form they
take, may eventually prove of benefit
to France, at present disembodied ideal
rather than self-governing nation.
AS result of this tragic situation a
period Of extreme confusion is inevitable.
For while France as political entity is
temporarily finished, French manpower,
French resources, French industry and
French military formations remain as
valuable assets to be utilized by the still
virile be!ligerents. And the struggle by
both sides to appropriate these assets
OF the defunct republic is at the moment
the outstanding and extremely impor.
tant feature of this poignant drama.
French Not Wholly Helpless.
In this struggle the French people are
not wholly helpless. They have, to some
extent, choice as to the side which
they will individually endeavor to aid.
This decision will not be determined
by the factor of local military control
alone. It will, of course, continue to be
difficult and dangerous for French work.
ers in Paris, Lyons or Marseilles to com.
init sabotage against the Axis Yet, many
may be expected to increase passive re-
sistance. 1t will be difficult and dan.
Eerous for French colonial officials to
hamper Anglo-American operations in
North Africa. But it is probable that
IN some cases precautions against this
eventuality will have to be taken.
The individual Frenchman, it may be
assumed, will make his choice in ac-
cordance with personal estimate of what
Will most quickly terminate the unre.
| deemed misery the war has brought his
country, and with consideration of the
relative promise of national rehabilita-
ton which the programs of the two
belligerents hold out for France. Thus
more precise definition of war obiectiyes
because of their influence on immediate
French thinking, becomes of greater i'm.
portance than ever before.
Each individual Frenchman, moreover
will tend to select his course not on the
basis OF what the United Nations and
the Axis say about each other, but prob
ably after somewhat cynical discount
ing OF the respective propaganda offen-
slves. The shrewd and Unconditional
Judgment characteristic of the French
people In their private lives will not be
greatly affected by inspired exhortations
from any foreign capital.
1t follows that in the days Immediately
ahead the diplomatic and propaganda
aspects OF the war will, in some respects.
be just as vital as the military moves.
lhe former must be as precisely rea-
soned, as we'll planned, as well co-ordi.
mated, as the latter.