Vichy's Surrender In a broadcast to the French people on
Tuesday night 4arshal Petain announced that he had conferred full powers ever all the military forces upon Admiral Darlan, thus pre- raring them for further capitulation to the demands of Germany. kt the same time he announced twelve new measures which will have the effect of dragooning the nation to the will of a otalitarian government and threaten savage punishment upon hose who may be held responsible for the fall of France with- iut even a show of trial.. A Council of " Political Justice " is to )rovide him with a list of the proposed victims. Political Letivities of all kinds are prohibited. The Civil Service is to )' Purged. The powers of the secret police are to be aug- mented. The tyrannies familiar under Nazi rule are to be applied by the Government of Marshal Petain. In his sancti- monious address to his people he virtually admits his fear of public opinion, which " has not shown itself either always favourable or always fair " to Admiral Darlan—the tool of German policy, who now receives further powers for crushing the criticism directed against him. In one sentence a sop is thrown to " the great American Republic," but in the rest we detect only the desire to placate the Nazis; and it is left to us to gaess what tangible benefits Darlan is about to confer on them. Dakar and the North African bases? He may with- hold the full grant of these bases a little longer, playing for time, but he has gone far down the slope which leads to com- plete surrender to the German demands. General Weygand's position becomes more difficult and more enigmatic than ever.
