Evening star., 1942-04-15
luvuI Returns

Laval Returns
Pierre Laval is back in the Vichy
regime. This archagitator for full
collaboration with Germany. who was
| ousted by Marshal Petain in mid
December Of 1910 for his thinly
yelled plottings to put France back
into the war on Germany's side, is to
be a leading figure in what Vichy
officially announces to be the con-
stitution Of a government established
on new foundations" Admiral Dar-
Ian will continue to serve beside
Laval under Marshal Petain, though
the precise ranking of this official
triumvirate has not been announced.
AT the same time, Vichy gives out
the news that the Riom trials will be
adjourned until some later date,
when their scope may be broadened
TO include responsibility for having
started the war as well as for its
conduct.
Such Is the ominous grist of dis
patches from Vichy. Obviously, the
news is bad, though 1t Is too soon to
Jump to the conclusion that Marshal
Petain has surrendered uncondi-
tionally to German demands and
that Vichy France is about to join
the Axis completely. 1t makes a lot
Of difference Just how and why Laval
was taken back into partnership.
Only when we know that can we
make a fair estimate of what will
happen in consequence.
For months. Vichy has been under
increasing Axis pressure for a fuller
measure of collaboration" While
Petain has made many concessions
on the economic side, putting French
industry virtually into Axis service,
he has resisted demands for the use
OF French colonial bases and the as
SiStance of the French fleet. But the
coming of spring, when Hitler is
clearly preparing vast offensive op-
erations, renders the position of
France vital to his plans. Some days
ago, press reports from neutral
Switzerland spoke of an alleged Ger
man ultimatum to Vichy. Did Petain
and his colleagues bow reluctantly to
dire threats which they saw no way
OF averting except by yielding? Or
were the concessions which they have
obviously granted due, in part at
least. to recent disasters suffered by
the United Nations? If the men of
Vichy concede only the minimum to
brute force, their policy will be that
Of fighting rear-guard actions with
hope OF eventual resistance. II, on
the other hand, they lose that hope,
they may be disposed to make
genuine settlement with the Axis.
such as Laval has always worked for.
The personal equation also plays
an important part in so personal"
government as the Vichy regime. The
aged Petain repeatedly is weakening
physically under two years of cease
less strain. Admiral Darlan apparent
ly has fallen between two stools
not cooperative" enough to suit
Berlin, and yet too compliant to the
Axis to suit the vast majority of
French public opinion. These per-
sonal factors may partially explain
Laval's comeback at this particular
moment
The consequences of closer COL
laboration between Vichy and the
Axis are as complex as they are Sc
riouS. Besides factors like the French
fleet and North African bases, there
looms the question of Madagascar,
that big Vichy-French island off the
east coast of Africa, with its splendid
| harbor and fortified naval base of
Diego Suarez. If that fell into Japa-
nese hands, with Vichy connivance,
the Anglo-American supply routes to
the Near and Middle East around the
Cape of Good Hope would be effec-
lively cut, and Japan's threatened
dominance Of the Indian Ocean
would become a dread reality.
These are merely few of the prob
lens which will confront United Ma
tionS craftsmanship if ViChy has
really gone over to the Axis. Pre-
sumably, Washington and London
will take appropriate diplomatic and
strategic measures if the worst sus-
/ piCionS prove to be true.