Evening star., 1942-06-10
Petain NowConvinced
Axis Faces Defeat,
vichy Reports Say
French Would Disable
Fleet to Keep it From
kozis, Observers Report

There is "a reasonable cxpecta-
ton" thai Germany never will OBJ
tain use Of thes French fleet, the
United States was assured today in
authoritative advices from compe-
tent observers thoroughly familiar
with the situation at Vichy.
In addition, Chief of State Mar
shall Petain was described as being
convinced that the Axis will be de-
feated, in contrast to his earlier
opinion that Germany was sure
to win the war.
If Nazi pressure should succeed.
in forcing the pro-Axis Laval gov
eminent at Vichy to order sur
render of the remaining French
warships to Germany many OF the
ships officers and men would dis
able their vessels rather than carry
out the orders, according to these
advices.
Hope Put in Allies.
In view of this feeling among the
French Navy personnel 1t was con-
sidered doubtful that Vichy would
make any attempt to break its
promises not to surrender the fleet,
1t was said.
Except in the small Laval and
other collaborationist groups the
French people generally-including
Marshal Petain-realize that their
only hope Of escaping enslavement
to the Axis is in United Nations
victory, according to these reliable
reports.
Although Marshal Petain was de-
scribed as being convinced the Allies
will win, Laval, who was forced to
power by German pressure. was said
to base his policies on belief that
Germany cannot lose and a feeling
that it would be terrible calam-
ity" to France for Russia and Eng
land to be victorious.
Reliable informants in Vichy re-
port that Admiral Jean Darlan,
chief of the Vichy governments
armed forces, holds a somewhat
similar opinion.
Sources in close touch with devel-
opments around Marshal Petain pic
tured the aged Chief of State as a
patriot surrounded by intriguers and
exposed to pressure from German
authorities. yet laboring to protect
the integrity OF France.
Aware of Petain's Handicaps.
The French people are fully aware
OF the tragic handicap under which
Petain is striving to relieve their
suffering, this informant said. They |
know that Marshal Petain was forced
by the Germans to accept Laval as
his chief of government. possibly by
threatening to occupy all OF France.
German pressure is reported to
involve many other threats OF dire
consequences for the French If they |
fail to collaborate. These include
even threats of reprisal against
French prisoners of war in Ger
many. Some Frenchmen fear par
ticularly the possibility that these
$4,000 prisoners in German hands
might be maltreated or starved.
There are limits to what the Axis
could accomplish by such pressure,
however. As outlined in authori- |
tative reports received here these |
limits are Hitler's reluctance to un-
dertake a complete occupation OF |
France, with the vast increase in |
troops of occupation such move
would make necessary, and Hitler's
equal reluctance to provoke revolu-
ton in France at the very time he |
hopes to squeeze the utmost in war
production out of French workers.
The general belief in occupied
France was reported to be that
Laval will. not be able to deliver
collaboration to the extent desired
by Germany and soon may be forced
out of Office.
Has Astonishing Vitality.
Any attempt to displace Marshal
Petain as supreme chief OF govern
ment, these sources declared, might
cause q revolution. For this reason,
the conviction was expressed that
there would be no such attempt.
Marshal Petain was described as
having astonishing vitality for
man of his age-86.
There is little prospect of the
French people offering effective re-
sistance to the Axis in continental
France, it was pointed out, until
Allied forces land on the continent
.or a finish fight with the Germans.
Then they can expect cooperation
from practically all Frenchmen, it
was said.
The greatest fear of the French
people generally was said to be that
the war might last two or three
years longer, continuing disastrous
starvation conditions that might
leave few Frenchmen surviving.
Their only hope, it was emphasized,
is an early United Nations victory.