Detroit evening times., 1945-12-07
France

teigencs diges ,eritten and published by Kenneth de
-Conrey. By special cable from London.
TNHE resistance a unified movement has ceased to
exist. 1t consisted Of too many factions which were
only able to combine for very short space of time and
for single purpose.
Although certain elements from within the resistance
have retained their prestige and remain powerful
theless the gangster influence which strong within
it, broke its prestige.
The outside world has heard very little about the
heavy scandals for which the gangsters responsible
Here are three examples:
THE resistance leader in famous French city
Il metal worker before the war. A short time ago
he subscribed million francs to a charity This
possible because, during the of 1914 he stole
35 million francs from bank under the and pre-
text of resistance
O-Just after the liberation the client of distinguished
- firm made application for government bonds to the
value of 100 million francs. This greatly surprised the
financial house concerned which nevertheless opened
negotiations with the Bank of France for the transaction
Everything was arranged when the purchaser
asked for the necessary draft To every ones astonish
ment however the buyer said he giving draft
but would with lorry bringing the whole amount IN
notes the following day This he actually did, and
presently the ory drove to the Bank OF France where
this quantity of notes was deposited.
The next day senior official rang up the firm which
had negotiated the business the notes deposited
stolen and that large number of them had been
seized from various banks different parts of France,
and that the whole thing brought to light of the
most gigantic robberies ever known in the history of
French banking The Bank of France said it must con-
suit the minister of finance. Not many hours elapsed,
however before another message through to say
the whole 100 million francs accepted for the Pur-
chase of the desired securities and further questions
would be asked
-0-The advancing German armies in 1910 swept into
- small place outside Paris. The mayor had with
great courage remained behind to do his best for his
wretched fellow citizens, He gallant man.
In the last he wounded II times and was
II times mentioned in dispatches He commander
of the Legion of Honour and had y palms to his mill
tary
Throughout the occupation he gave false feed cards
to resistance members, and false papers to Jews and
others. Some he hid at his house In record and con-
duct he represented all that was best and finest IN France
Some years previously however, he had been in
volved in the prosecution of we-knoWn local crook
who became leading member of the resistance When
the liberation this gangster decided TO get his
revenge upon the mayor and drove TO his house with
some friends surrounded the place with machine guns,
and had the mayor marched off TO gaol There he re-
mained eight days until pressure from high place
gained his release.
But his enemy did not give up. few days later ne
was arrested again due be released by special
judicial order But widespread was, and indeed is,
the graft that he arrested a third time. He IS
still in gaol without charge and without trial.
These three stories help to explain why the
as a movement has become dscredited throughout
France though the effects of its former power have not
yet been wholly overcome.