The Wilmington morning star., 1944-08-31

There are impelling reasons why
the liberation of Paris should be
followed by an invitation to the
French provisional government to
participate in the Dumbarton Oaks
conference which is dealing with
general security, and in the Euro
pean advisory commission, which
deals with the German. settlement.
Since France is the nearest great
neighbor of Germany, it will be as
wrong as it would be inexpedient
not to make certain in advance of
the active assistance of France in
dealing with Germany.
The inclusion of France in the
Dumbarton Oaks conference will do
what no mechanical formula can
possibly do in answering the COM
plant that the three great military
powers seek to dominate the world.
For France can speak not only for
herself but for the occupied nations
Of Europe as well in a way that
Britain, the Soviet Union, and the
United States cannot.
The case for calling in French
men to share our perplexities and
take part in our decision would be
strong one even if the provision
al government had less popular
support than we now know for GER
tain it has. For there must be
French signatures to the charters
and treaties that are to be the law
of Europe, and the more certain
we make it that Frenchmen have
taken part in writing the law of
Europe, the more valid will be the
French signatures.
The three powers cannot keep
Germany disarmed, cannot occupy
Germany, cannot enforce terms
upon Germany over a period of
years unless they are certain that
France is with them and is on of
them. Any German settlement
would break down if France was
against it, and we may be certain
that the views of France will be
shared in very large measure by
the Netherlands and Belgium, that
they will have great influence in
Czechoslovakia and Poland and
Yugoslavia, and also in Italy.
There will be some in very high
quarters in this country who will
say: Let us wait and see. =.
Petain still represents something
among the French. Let us not
admit France to our councils until
we see whether the provisional
government is able to establish law
and order, and whether it is rati-
fled by a popular vote" Petain,
in his message to the French be-
fore he disappeared from vichy,
has with considerable cunning ap-
pealed to this notion held by GER
tain Americans of high rank.
Order must reign" says Petain,
and because represent order
legitimately, I remain your chief"
If in any respect the United States
government accepted this alse
claim. it would help to set the stage
in france for civil war. Any one
who has any doubts as to Petain's
position being illegal and based on
outright usurpation should read
Perhnax' account in his mastery
work THE Gravediggers of
France" We are, of course, pub
liely committed not to deal with
Vichy in any form. But in fact we
shall be serving the cause of vichy
If we do not give promptly to the
provisional government our flu l
moral and material support.
This is the time for the United
Nations to rally to it, and thus to
destroy the last vestiges of hope
among French Fascists and COLA
borationists that they have any,
thing to gain by obstruction, assas-
slnatlon, and sabotage. Moreover,
the stronger we help to make the
provisional government at this mo.
tnent, the more orderly and just
Will be the process of purging and
Furnishing the traitors.
1t may be said that by ad-
hitting the provisional government
10 our councils, and giving it our
ungrudging support, we are favor
ing the French resistance move
ment as against other Frenchmen
who did not resist, or even COLA
borated with Germany. OF course.
Are these not the Frenchmen we
do want to favor? Can there by
any better Frenchmen than those
who have proved their loyalty to
france and to the cause Of the