The guardian., 1953-11-07
BOSTON
BAKED
By MABE KOUNTZE

The problem of the goth
Century is the problem of the
COlOr-Line."
DR.. Dubois
FRANCE, the land of liberty,
equality, and fraternity, is to-
day being lambasted by some
people for taking a dim view"
of reviving the power of Ger
many which has laid waste
France three times in rs years.
Uninvaded nations, like our
own. tend to call France "Sel-
fish" We note some writer's
have even smeared French in
tegrity and written much IN
favor of Germany.
THE PARIS CAPITALIZED coun-
try has. I believe, contributed
more good cultural advance
ment to the West than has
Germany (thus far.) France
has given much of the worlds
great literature, fashions, art.
science, music, and social and
civic advancement. When we
think of France we think OF
Dumas, Descartes, Voltaire,
Hugo, Curie, Daguerre, Cou-
lomb, Ampere, Joan of Arc, La
fayette, the U. S. Statue OF
Liberty, and much more. Name
your own.
THE COLONIAL policy of
France, while not justified, was
by far the most liberal of any
Western Power. France did not
offend Africans or ASiatics as
much as the British, Germans,
BelgianS, and others. France
dropt the color-line and colo
malls became citizens, serving
as Cabinet Ministers, Generals,
and leaders in many fields. No
BILE Sissle, Jim Europe, 10
Baker, Red Top, and other Tan
Yanks found royal welcome in
France.
NAPOLEON (who found a
worthy opponent in Toussaint
L'OuVerture), had at least II
eolored Generals in his Army.
During the Boxer war in China,
the Allied forces were COM
manded by colored French
General DoddS. The first world
war Defense of Paris was under
the command of French Navy
colored captain Sosthene Nor
tenol who helped locate and
destroy the famous German
big Bertha. Read the famous
works of j. A. Rogers for other
facts.
TAN YANKS received their
first major civilian and military
recognition in France whose
sepia soldiers helped save the
Republic. The first U. S. sold
iers decorated by France in
World War I were Tan YankS.
While DixiecratS gaped, France
awarded military honors to four
colored regiments, the 369th,
37Oth, 371st, S72nd; 1st Bn of
3e7th.
ARMY JIM CROW, which
kept colored units apart from
the U. S. divisions, witnessed
the unusual picture of most
Tan Yank units being attach
ed to French Divisions in World
War I. That is how the 372nd
adopted the French RED Hand"
division insignia. The French
people gave a royal welcome to
previously racially insulted
troops. Their favorite U. S.
military band was that of the
famous Jim Reece Europe. Re-
member?
JOSEPHINE BAKER, the st.
Louis American toast of Paris, +"
aided the great African Free
French Gov. General Felix
Eboue IN helping to save Africa
for the Allies in World War II.
Breaking with the Vichey
government, Gen. Eboue was
named governor of Free France
by DeGaulle. Had Africa joined
the Axis, Mr.. Walter Winchell
and other narrow critics of
Miss Baker might not now be
in their seats of judgement.
BIG QUESTION facing our
world diplomats to-day is
whether we must weaken OF
destroy liberal forms Of govern
ment (including our own in
our mad zeal to destroy COM
munism. In evading the left
must we lean so far as to re.
vive the Facist and Nazi brands
of slavery. Those who would
weaken France in favor Of g
stronger Germany can find Z
very powerful warning in the
past two world wars Losing