The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-11-14

strength Of that proud nalloh alleT
the war?
That the postwar France will
be weak nation at best, can
hardly be disputed There may
even be a question as to whether
there will be such nation II the
French governments oppose the
Allied Nations and Germany con-
tinues TO close in from the south.
Since the beginning OF the war
France has be=n losing territory.
The Japanese absorbed French
Indo-China soon after the fall Of
France in 1910: Britain has taken
over Syria Inundated to France
and the French colony OF Madagas-
car: we are taking over French
North Africa. Hitler is occupying
the rest OF France. Allies and
Axis alike, in short, are taking
bits out OF the French Empire
though with assurances by the AL
lies that all this territory will be
restored to France in due time)
Under LOUIS XIV Q63S-l7l5),
France was the most powerful ma
ton in Europe. The Germans had
been decimsted by the religious
wars and cut up into small political
bits by the Treaty Of Westphalia
Q64s). As a result, the Sun
King" and his merry men were
able to rampage all over northwest
Europe at will, until the English,
Dutch and Prussians got together
and Marlborough stopped The
French in the War OF the Spanish
Succession Q7Ol-lD.
The French meanwhile had cary
ed out for themselves an empire
in Canada; but in the middle 18th
Century the British took this away
from them. British sea power was
what turned the trick-another
demonstration Of the principle that
a nation which lacks adequate sea
power can hold an overseas en-
pire only on sufferance 81 the na-
lions having the strongest fleets.
In these days, Of course, fleets
means air power, too.
BY the time France was ripe for
the Revolution in 1888, the coun-
try was very weak. The poor were
taxed TOO heavily, the NOBILITY and
the clergy too lightly. The rich
middle class had no political power
TO speak Of.
The Revolution, taken over ~
Napoleon Bonaparte, released var
ious wellsprings OF national ennr-
gy which again made France
Europe's most powerful nation il
took the Russians. PTussian and
British TO put down Napoleon.
France rose again with Napoleon
III, though not so high as before,
and was badly beaten in the Fran
co-Prussion War in 1870. When
World War Mol was in the max.
ing, II was clear that the 40 ,O0J, 600
or so FrenChmen could not by
themselves beat the 7O.O00,OJ0 or
30 Germans. France made ALLAN.
ces with Russia and England: and
even this coalition would prob
ably have lost to Germany II the
United States had not thrown rs
weight into the war in 1917.
When World War No. began
France was supposed TO have the
finest army In Europe What hap
pened to that army when Hitler
tore into it is still fresh in mem
ory. France had economical or
that army. there were not nearly
enough airplanes to meet tbs
known force Of German airpianos
and the Maginot Line was not fin
tShed.
Another fact TO be taken int,
account is the French birthrate
Before the Revolution the Fren1l
were a prolific race. The Frenrl
in Canada are still so prolific 'tha
various population chartists fguIl
the French vote may control al
Canada In another 30 or 81 years
assuming that voting is still il
fashion at that time, but on tn
European continent. the Frencl
began slowing down their birthrat
after Waterloo. Why, is anybody
guess. The best guess seems 4
be that the Revolution brough
the peasants the land they had lon
yearned for. but only a little 81
OF land per peasant Large fan
flies would mean penury for tn
children who would divide up eac
little farm among them sm8I
families would mean that the chi
dren could 20 on scratching aloh
as their parents had done.
So, without fanfare or birth cor
troll legislation, the French Gu
their birthrates and kept them Gu
They became more and more I'D
vidualistic, too. as the Chinese ia
been for centuries. Super-indiy
dualism causes a man 10 think l.
and less OF his country and mos
and more OF his personal intert 81
and those OF his family
The Chinese are growing out ,
their Decentralization, and Oh
Japs are regrettlng that fact
may be that France is sufferin
from old age. That is a malad
from which individuals never RI
cover. but nations sometimes d
Witness, again. China. For Franc