READING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT
29
from feudal Poland to semifascist Greece-which, for whatever reasons or
however reluctantly, finds itself on the side of the angels. The Latin
American dictatorships have lately been found to be "democracies," and
the
New York 1 imes
has a
iorm
editiorial standing ready in type, lament–
ing in pathetic tones the extinction of one more heroic little "democracy,"
which is printed whenever the Axis invades a new nation. On Greece, the
Times
found it strategic to say more about Pericles than about Metaxas.
And doubtless when and if the Reichswehr moves into the Ukraine, the
Times
will see the violation of the Soviet border as one more breach in the
citadel of Democracy.
The point is, of course, that just as fascism takes power internally
only after bourgeois democracy has strangled in its own economic and
social contradictions, so on the international scene the Axis armies over–
throw governments already compromised and enfeebled, democratic in
form only-or not even in form. The war i;; constantly exposing the mean–
inglessness of the concept, "democracy," in the modern capitalist world.
So is it, also, with the other terms in the lexicon of bourgeois idealism,
which are steadily losing their luster under the corrosive action of events.
Think of the millions of noble words which were reduced to so much baled
newsprint by the French debacle!
"Be faithful and united. Your sacrifice
will
not be in vain."
(
Weygand to his troops, on assuming command dur–
ing the Battle of France)
" France enters this war with a pure conscience,
which
for her
is
not a word. The world will perhaps soon know that moral
jorces are also forces."
(Reynaud, on Italy's declaratio:p of war )
" We shall
defend
every stone, every clod of earth, every lamp-post and every build–
ing.
We would rather have Paris razed than fall into German hands.''
(The French "official spokesman," the day before the Germans entered
Paris)
"Tell America that in our fight to save the world from a return to
the
dark ages, we shall not falter.
...
The morale of the defenders and the
people
of France
has
never been higher. than at this critical moment. Gal–
IIGIIized by the unprovoked invasion of their soil, steadied by the calm
courage of General Weygand, they are determined to win at whatever cost."
(Reynaud, June 10).
The difference between such words and the reality that came to pass
must either rouse a people to revolutionary passion or stun it into apathy
and
cynicism. The latter seems to have resulted in France, whence the
llll'Vival of the Vichy "government"- a frail shell empty of all social
content, which the first stirrings of the French masses will shatter. The
quintessence of Vichy is the official report on the recent meeting between
Petain and Hitler: "The Marshal was received with the honors due his
'rank."
One recalls Petain's comment on the armistice: "The terms are
eevere, but our honor is safe." We may be sure that the French people are
thinking less in Petain's than in Falstaff's terms about this concept:
"Honor pricks me on. Yea, but how if honor pricks me off when I
CGIIle
on? How then? Can honor set a leg? No. Or an arm? No. Or
like
away the grief of a wound? No. Honor hath no skill in surgery then?
