"They Are French!"

"Vive Daladier! Vive la France!" rang out with spontaneity in Corsica, Tunisia and Algiers last week as Premier Edouard Daladier toured France's Mediterranean and North African possessions. The Daladier visit was officially an inspection of French defenses. Actually it was France's firm reply to recent, inspired Italian clamor for Corsica and Tunisia. Last week's answer told Italy: "Just try to take them!"

Magic. At Corsica the French used a neat bit of pagan lore to warn off the Italians. As the Premier was being ecstatically hailed by the fiery islanders in Ajaccio and Bastia, French warships circled the island. No Corsican--and no Italian--could have failed to get the point that this was a modern version of the old Norse magic of surrounding a spot with fire (in this case, navy steel) to keep out evil (Italians).

At the port of Bizerte in Tunisia 50 bearded old Moslem dignitaries, turbaned and in silk robes, presented flowers to M. Daladier. Silk-hatted French officials, in traditional morning garb, gave him European handshakes. The 7,500 British subjects of the protectorate praised French rule in a joint letter to the Premier. The Moslem population of Tunis gave his motorcade a wildly enthusiastic reception.

"Protector" Daladier was "honored" to be received in white-walled Bardo Palace by plump, thin-bearded, 76-year-old Sidi Ahmed II, Bey of Tunis, figurehead ruler of the protectorate. Slender Erik Labonne, French Resident General, the real ruler of Tunisia, stayed in the background. As M. Daladier crossed the imaginary boundary line of the Bey's palace grounds he forgot to observe a 500-year-old custom which requires all visitors, high or low to bow. An attache quickly reminded the Premier, who halted, backed up, bowed low.

In the throne room the Bey, flanked by his three sons, and M. Daladier, followed by his staff, shook hands ceremoniously. His Highness listened to the Premier promise France's "continued protection" of the Bey's domains. The Bey's Minister of the Pen read in Arabic this cordial reply: "All Tunisia will, if need be, group itself in support of France." Then His Highness decorated the Premier with the coveted order of Aned el Aman, usually given only to royalty.

Realism. M. Daladier's trip was not entirely spent in mere ceremonial. Tanks, artillery and soldiers were displayed for Tunisia's--and Italy's--benefit. Two hundred eighty miles southeast of Tunis and 65 miles from the Italian-held Libyan frontier is France's desert Maginot Line of barbed wire, small forts and pillboxes buried in sand dunes.

On a trackless, roadless waste, at a point halfway between the blue Mediterranean and the bleak Matmata Mountains, M. Daladier and his official escort reviewed a formidable parade of fighting men and equipment: white-robed Spahis, galloping on their small Arab horses, black Senegalese bands playing trumpets and fifes, camel corps with both officers and men barefoot, guiding their awkward mounts by pressing the big toe against the camel's neck. Curious nomadic Bedouins watched the strange proceedings.

Olive Branch. All along the route Arabs, Berbers, Negroes from the South Sahara turned out with such enthusiasm to show French allegiance that tears rolled down the Premier's cheeks. At Sousse, with the Foreign Legion, cavalry and rifle regiments lined up in the square, M. Daladier caught the frenzy of the crowd, stepped out of the official procession and went through the square shaking hands with men, patting the heads of children. At Sfax the Caid (Mayor), whose grandfather fought against the invading French 57 years ago, presented M. Daladier with a silver olive branch symbolic of "union and peace," declared: "We have come to know how great has been the . . . good to us of French protection and administration."

On the Cruiser Foch, M. Daladier proceeded to Algiers, where Arab chieftains and Zouave and Spahi detachments accompanied him to a monument for Algerian War dead. Here M. Daladier summed up the impressions of his trip: "The Colonials are French--they will stay French."

So expansive was the mood of the Premier after the warmth of his African receptions that he chose to ignore the latest manifestation of Italian ill will. Special Correspondent Jerome Tharaud of the Paris-Soir arrived at Genoa by plane en route to Djibouti. Even though he had an Italian visa, the Fascist police interrupted his voyage, escorted him back to the French frontier. Reason: Italy claimed M. Tharaud had written articles uncomplimentary to Italian soldiers in Spain.

Asked in Algiers if he planned reprisals against Italian newspaper men in France for the Tharaud expulsion, M. Daladier cracked back: "France is a free country. There will be no reprisals. I know how unhappy they [Italian journalists] would be back in Italy."

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