Show Round Merry By DREW PEARSON AND ROBERT S. S ALLEN WASHINGTON The The French capitulation to Hitler was no news to U. U S. S Ambassador Admiral Admiral Admiral Ad Ad- miral Leahy He had warned what was coming for some time Frances France's capitulation waS waS' news however to some kid glove diplomats of the state department department department depart depart- ment who kept on sending food ships ship with the idea France could be bought off To understand fully the hopelessness of the French situation it is necessary to remember that Marshal Petain belongs belongS' to the old school which favored the French royalty and disliked everything connected with the French tion Petain never liked England because England England Eng Eng- land was always setting an example to the French people of how a parliamentary system really could be made to work In addition Petain was a pessimist He did not think France could win last June just as ashe ashe ashe he did not think France could win in March of 1918 His order issued on March 24 1918 has now been published and if it had been carried out it would have meant French surrender to Germany Fortunately for the outcome of the last war Marshal Foch stepped in at this moment moment moment mo mo- ment and stopped the German army at the gates of Amiens Dont Don't Understand Understand U. U S. S There is still another reason why Petain and those around him are not anxious to see the British win British victory means an investigation investigation investigation of the French general staff during the past decade and the reasons for French defeat at a time when France was supposed to h have ve the finest army in the world Finally those in power inside the French government seem to be hopelessly uninformed r regarding garding the situation in the United States For instance Admiral Darlan remarked to a member of the French embassy just before he left Vichy for Washington one month ago One of the most important developments of recent months is the increasing rivalry between Great Britain and the United States And Marshal remarked to an American diplomat rather recently America is a mercantile nation She never will be interested interested in in- in helping Great Britain I Latin-American Latin Nazis One con confidential problem the Nelson Rockefeller Rockefeller Rocke Rocke- feller committee is trying to iron out is created by nazi agents who take advantage of American Ameri Amen can business firms in Latin America Without meaning to do so U. U S. S firms have indirectly helped finance the spreading of subversive influence in influence influence in- in fluence and anti-American anti propaganda propaganda- through the tricks of German sales concerns For years many U. U S. S exporters have al allowed allowed al al- lowed loyed independent German firms to distribute th their ir goods in Latin America They did this because the Germans had lived in South America America Amer Amer- ica lea longer had better contacts were better salesmen In recent times however the state department discovered that some German firms were using their American business connections to undermine the United States Here is how it works An American firm will spend a large amount of money for advertising advertising advertising ad ad- in local South American newspapers But the advertising is placed through the local sales connections of that firm in most cases German And the Germans use that advertising advertising advertis advertis- ing to high presSure pressure the loc local l paper into carrying carrying carry carry- ing Hitler's speeches the nazi D N B reports and other ther pro-German pro propaganda For some months now the Rockefeller committee committee com corn on cultural relations in cooperation with the state and commerce departments has been trying to stop this A confidential list of nazi firms was prepared and most American firms when warned of the situation arranged for new distributors However some companies have demurred on the ground that a change would mean loss of business General Motors for instance at first refused to sever arrangements with certain tam tain German firms which were successfully distributing its its' automobiles in Latin America The matter went up to James D. D Mooney vice president of General Motors also to Alfred Alfred Al Al- fred P. P Sloan chairman of the board But nothing nothing noth noth- ing happened Word came back that General Motors saw no reason to make a change in its Latin-American Latin sales up set-up unless there were a declaration of war or breaking of diplomatic relations with Germany Finally however Sumner Welles undersecretary undersecretary undersecretary of state had a session with Graeme Howard Howard Howard How How- ard vice president of General Motors in charge of overseas operations in which there was some plain talking In the end General Motors agreed to cut loose its its' German sales connections in Latin America Note Meanwhile the production as distinguished distinguished dis dis- from the sales end of General Motors Motors Mo Mo- tors in the U. U S. S has done a magnificent defense job ob in completing four machine gun factories at Flint and Saginaw Mich Syracuse N. N Y and Dayton Ohio last month The plants weren't scheduled for completion until next December William Knudsen former production production tion manager of G. G M. M is the man behind this Distributed by United Feature Syndicate |