Show n Putty in n Political Hands Says Editor n note tf A first of the th British n ba In Vans arl until the th ml- ml 1 lapse lapoe of f Franr Henry Noble sohl Mall lIall fig Important In the of 01 diplomatic dip history In I. the first r r of If the th war a iI He II known kno II Intimately the th nen of 01 Vichy who osh now to is uncertain rul rut of their conquered country By nr In SR roIO NOBLE LE HALL I Written for tor NEA ServIce Ser ServIceman One man dominates and two others others others oth oth- ers loom large upon the stage of Vichy Marshal Petain Pierre Laval Laval Laval La La- val and Francois Darlan Darlan-a Darlan a great soldier a statesman and id a sailor It is useless to o try to understand what Is happening happening hap- hap pening in France unless one knows what sort of at men they are I Henri Philippe Petain was born 86 years ears ago He comes of a race of peasant soldiers His people for centuries have been do well farmers at at Tour Cauchy In Flanders in the very heart of the cockpit of Europe They were there when Cr Crecy cy and Agincourt were fought They have had Germans Germanson on their land several times in the past century They know the enemy enemy en- en emy my and do not trust him Indeed I they do not trust anyone anone Men Mento to them are capable of anything like hike the weather Take a man of that hard tenacIous tenacious tenacious tena tena- cious breed run him through the military mill make him a professional professional soldier He lie will be a first- first class fighting man As mother- mother keen of his men as his men will willbe willbe be fond brother-fond of him His Ills life his fate will mean nothing to him His duty his honor will mean all He will never give way Everything that makes make Petain a good soldier makes him a a- abad bad poli poll Not Nat only does he dislike politics but he has no political sense and will fall for the most specious arguments of men like Darlan and Laval Thus he has been persuaded that loyal loal cooperation with the reich could be carried through without any hostile act against Frances France's former allies He has an intense dislikE dislike dislike dis dis- dis- dis like for liberal views and a dread of communism yet et has surrounded himself with men who have no use for democracy and who have persuaded persuaded persuaded per per- him that he should collaborate collaborate rate with Hitler allied with Stalin t He lie distrusts politicians but he Is Isas 1st as putty in their hands j I Petain has no use for anyone anone who isn't French and a peasant at I that He never has liked the English English Eng Eng- lish hish or the Americans There is the man who four years ago at 82 was called back to serve his country and sent as ambassador of the French republic to Spain Naturally the totalitarian government government government govern govern- ment of Franco based on military discipline appealed to him But when in the hour of her utter need France called on him again he Joined Reynaud's cabinet cabinet cabinet cabi cabi- net solely from a sense of duty One may be quite certain that no thought of self no personal ambition ambition ambition ambi ambi- tion entered Petain's mind when he took over the government of France during that fateful night of oC June 16 15 last year When Petain asked Germany for foran foran foran an armistice as from Crom soldier to soldier after the struggle and within with with- in honor I believe he meant that he would never take up arms against his former ally that he would never give Hitler naval or military assistance against Eng Eng- land I may be mistaken but I believe believe be be- lieve that so long as Marshal Petain Pe Pe- Pe- Pe tam tain is at the helm France will never give up her fleet nor cede her naval bases in North Africa For he has said Hitler can occupy occupy occupy oc oc- oc- oc cupy all France and Imprison me he can denounce the armistice but buthe buthe buthe he can do naught against the word of a marshal of France Pierre Laval is a very different sort of person He was born a poor white of the poorest in the mountains mountains moun moun- of Auvergne But he was a aI brilliant child The cure of his native native native na na- na- na I tive village taught him Latin LaUn and when as a little butcher-boy butcher he delivered his rounds of meat he was never without a class book Laval has thrown in his lot with hitler Although he knew that lin- lin Ing ng up France with the axis meant dishonor and virtual bondage he cared not He was willing to give Germany the French fleet and to agree to a Japa German-French-Japa- nest condominium in North Africa When the break came between Laval and Petain it was brought about by Admiral Darlan Darian Darlan did not oust Laval because because because be be- cause he disagreed with Laval's British anti and pro-German pro policy He ousted Laval because he wanted wanted wanted want want- ed Laval's job and to make sure that he would succeed Petain as ns the master of France Darlan is nothing like as able a aman aman aman man as Laval but he is ambitious and believes that he is cleverer than he really is He lie will never forgive England for having crippled the French fleet at Oran When he delivered the funeral oration of the men who lost their lives he said Our sailors sailors sailors sail sail- ors would doubtless have preferred to die in a fair fight rather than perish assassinated But so long as Marshal Petain retains his strength and a lucid mind he will not reenter the war on the side of Germany no matter maller how far he goes in political collaboration collaboration collaboration col col- col- col which is almost as dan dan- 4 I 0 7 7 r 1 r I Ih y h i u u 1 L 1 i 1 FRENCH CHIEF OF STATE STROLLS WITH HEIR Marshal Petain left and amI Admiral Darlan at Vichy |