No. 254 NAI DFA Paris Embassy 19/34

Extract from a confidential report from Seán Murphy to Joseph P.Walshe (Dublin)
(P.19/34A) (Copy)

Vichy, 8 August 1940

[matter omitted]

On the whole it would seem to be safe to say that France will be quite prepared to collaborate closely with Germany in the economic system, which she intends to apply to Europe if she should have final victory in the War. On the other hand while there is undoubtedly a tendency to introduce a system modelled on German lines in political as other matters, there seems to be, judging by M. Baudouin's statements as well as by press comment, the desire that the changes to be made in that direction should not be completely imitative, but should be conditioned by the special characteristics of the French race. In the press Morass1 has already on several occasions come out against the tendency of some writers (in particular Déat)2 to adopt German solutions completely, and the Temps has had articles suggesting that France should be inspired in the changes to be made by the good elements of all her past history, including that of the Third Republic.

1 Probably Charles Maurras (1868-1952), leader of the Action Francaise.

2 Marcel Déat (1894-1955), French neo-socialist and writer who founded the Rassemblement National Populaire (RNP) during the Vichy regime; became Minister of Labour and National Solidarity in 1944.


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