Evening star., 1949-04-09
France Won't Fight
II Attacked by Reds,
Observer Writes
ey Fred Sm hs
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valiant sIuys Il altAcGeG oS ts1s
Soviet Union. And certainly they
viii not give Senuine support tc
q preventive war. Al this time
they will not nsht against any
thing or for anything,
base this conclusion on my
observations and discussions with
hundreds Of Frenchusen and for
eign observers over O period Of
months beginning last summer
The United States has concluded
that the only way TO prevent war
is by knitting q bloc OF states into
q hard economic and military unit
strong enough to make Soviet
leaders believe invasion OF Western
Europe would mean q war they
could not win.
Assuming that our allies are
properly armed. we must know
whether they have the viii to wage
any kind OF q war. Insofar as q
correspondent can judge the senti-
ments Of q nation, insist the
answer from here Is q resounding
MOI"
List Of Reasons.
Here are the reasons most COM
monty given:
!. Frances man on the street
feels that his country is help
leSsly caught between two con-
fiicting world powers-the United
States and Russia.
He is convinced there will be
another war on French soil He
prefers TO stand aside and let the
great armies fight each other.
II attacked he will Justify
Frances puny efforts by insisting
that the attack is not against
France-but against the United
States through France.
2. There is very little hatred
against the Soviet Union strons
enough TO create q warlike feeling
The strong anti-Soviet feelings
in the United States and Britain
do not exist here. The ordinary
citizen feels the Red Army played
as important q role in French lib
Grafton as Anglo American forces
And remember: For generations
the German has been the positive
foe.
Horror Stories Ignored.
The story Of Soviet horror has
never been fully appreciated here
Sick and tired Of conflict, cynical
about all stories even family
smacking Of propaganda. many
people In France have shut their
minds. Even French Communists
are flabby in their belief. though
one-third Of the votes are usually
Red.
The French simply are not IA
natical about any political beliefs
3. France Is morally exhausted.
having been occupied three times
since 1870. Many Of her people
think fighting q war and winning
is almost as bad as not fighting
and losing.
BY going down In 1910 without
too much Of q struggle she came
out Of the war better of generally
than the United Kingdom-which
fought on to a victory" that left
the British Empire bankrupt. In
the first war France fought we'll
and the hloodshed was staggering
4. France is as close to being
pacifist as any country has ever
been.
A Frenchman told me: When
we lose our tempers We argue. An
American or an Englishman starts
to punch. When we see two men
struggling we do not take sides
we think both are crazy"
II expect to be conscripted." q
young man who Is definitely anti
Communist told me. But when
the time comes I will be damned
If I will shoot somebody"
Attitude Long Realized.
This attitude long has been
realized by Americans who really
know France. Those who know
the people are divided into two
groups. One insists the French
are too civilized to fight: the other
says they are too cowardly.
5. France has little faith in her
political leadership.
At present the government 1,
composed primarily of men In
politics before the last defeat
The only person even resembling
q strong leader Is Charles dc
Gaulle. also the strongest anti
Communist. He seems to have
one-third Of the people with him
But opposing him bitterly tbesides
the Communists) Is such q large
number OF conservative French
men that 1t is doubtful whether
the general could unity France
for q defensive war effort. should
he come to power.
Generally speaking. the nation
appreciates American economic
aid. ! believe there win not be
much popular support for large
conscription into the planned new
army that must be equipped by
the Yanks.
Fearful Of jeopardizing Ameri-
can economic aid. French politi-
clans publicly talk tough to the
Soviet Excluding the openly
traitorous Communists). They dc
50 because they do not think II
makes q particular bit Of differ
ence. A French political leader
told me: This is not an issue
In which France can be Of In
fiuence-war or peace is up To
Washington and Moscow"
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