Army Begins Examining Aliens for Military Service

The French military authorities today began examination of all aliens, including those in the “stateless” and refugee categories, who had voluntarily registered for military service. The action, taken under the recent decree regulating the rights of aliens to enlist in the French Army in wartime, breaks a long tradition that only French citizens could serve in the army. Hitherto, aliens wishing to serve in the French military forces have been limited to the Foreign Legion.

Joining the regular French military ranks does not bring automatic citizenship for the aliens. Newspapers reported today, however, that a new decree is expected soon which will regulate the military status of aliens in every respect. It is estimated that about 400,000 aliens of military age could be recruited for the army if all aliens residing in France, who number approximately 3,000,000 were made eligible for military service.

Admission of aliens into the French Army, long opposed by many, today found no opposition. Even the Federation of Labor and extreme Right parties are backing the move. The only difficulty facing the military authorities is one of selection, since large numbers of aliens are Italians, Spaniards and Germans. While a majority of them are considered hostile toward the Fascist regimes in their native lands, sufficient care must be taken to insure that some are not working in the interests of these lands before they can be trusted as French soldiers. In this respect, Jewish refugees are considered an asset, since it is clear that no Jew would under present circumstances serve the Reich’s interests.

Coincident with admitting aliens to the army, the authorities are giving serious consideration to the question of permitting increased immigration as a measure to add to the population and thus remedy a shortage of industrial and agricultural labor. With many French villages half abandoned and industry facing an apparent labor shortage which is bound to grow more acute, it is becoming increasingly difficult for coal, iron and steel industrialists, as well as farmers, to get French workers. The relative scarcity of men under 30 makes it possible for members of this age group to be more particular in their choice of work. Even the 3,000,000 aliens now in France could hardly fill the gaps created by the increased demands of industry and agriculture.

Encouragement of immigration, therefore, seems to many statesmen as the only solution to the situation. While there can be no question of unrestricted immigration, since white collar workers, professionals and tradesmen are not wanted, it is suggested that a sifted, canalized immigration is the only immediate means of restoring the balance that has been badly upset by the small family system. In this connection, some point out that there are hundreds of thousands of able-bodied Jews in Poland and Rumania who would be only too happy, if admitted to France, to work and live in restricted areas where industrial and farm labor is acutely needed.