FRANCE 1940-1942, A COLLECTION OF DOCUMENTS AND BIBLIOGRAPHY.

Compiled by Howard C. Rice '26. HarvardCo-operative Society, 1942, 224 pp. $1.00.

THE WORLD AT LARGE knows well that France is suffering almost unbelievable hardship from conquest by Germany. It is not so well understood that France is today undergoing an attempt to transform the whole character of its life. La Revolution Nationale is the name the Vichy regime has bestowed upon this attempt at social revolution, a change in scope and character far more extensive than anything which has occurred since the days of the French Revolution. It is, in fact, an effort, as far as is humanly possible, to undo the work of the French Revolution and to bring about a return, as far as modern conditions permit, to the life of the Ancien Regime.

Mr. Rice in this little book seeks to present a picture of this amazing process. He does it by the documentary method. The book consists entirely of well selected documents, accompanied by brief editorial explanations, dating from June, 1940, to June, 1942. They emanate from proponents and opponents of the attempt at transformation in about equal number. There is also an admirable bibliography for those who desire to pursue the subject further.

This edition was obviously prepared for a limited constituency, since all of the documents are presented in their original French form. As the information carried by the documents is of widespread interest and importance, it is to be hoped that'Mr. Rice will soon get out a popular edition in translation. Such a book, omitting perhaps a few of the more technical documents and adding some of more recent date, ought to be widely circulated. The world should know the true character of the Vichy regime.