21 FEBRUARY 1941, Page 16

THE FALL OF FRANCE

Sm,—Is not the most ominous feature of the collapse of France that it came as a surprise to our diplomacy? From books recently reviewed in your columns it appears that French journalists and liaison officers with our forces knew long ago that much was seriously amiss. Amongst our countrymen the only one alleged to have shown uneai- ness is Mr. Hore-Belisha, who is rumoured to have lost his office because he inquired too closely why the Maginot Line had been left " in the air." Of course, we do not want a Gestapo, but we may well ask ourselves whether our diplomatic representation in foreign countries is organised to compete with modern conditions. The loss of Turkey as an ally in the last war should have been lesson enough.