New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-20
.TWENTY-ONE YEARS AFTER.
NJ. zoLA,s REFLECTIONS ON SEDAN

|
day of exultation in Germany. In a. different
| sense and pcrhaps a better one, il was also day
of rejoicing in France for it marked the coming
of age of the French Republic. However, the
sentiments evoked by it here are largely those oil
| vengeance and desire for the inevitable war with
! GERMANY There are those who look at the
! growth and stability of the Repubhc but more
who look at the size and efficiency of the army.
Among all articles on the various phases of this
subject with which the press teens none attracts
more attention than that of NJ lola. ibis
apostle of naturalism' is politician as well as
novelist. and warlike one He has recently been
studying the battlefelds Of 1901, and review
ing the records of that dreadful campaign, ana as
a result thereof he contributes three columns 10
lie Figaro" on the subject. Twenty-one years
ago, he says, il seemed as though France was SUI
fering the most terrible disaster that had ever De-
fallen any nation. Ever since no Frenchman mas
been able to remember Sedan without wrath ami
shame But now" he continues, beneath TINS
terrible chagrin there is a sensation OF sanitary
suffering and of healthy cure / felt this at Sedan
during the days that | spent upon the Dattleheh'
and | believe that this regeneration by sorro"
born from the very excuses of our misfortunes
is felt in every breast. After all, Sedan was
! necessary bath of blood. The lesson now looks
still terrible, but profitable. 1t was, perhaps
only this blow TO our pride. this cupping OF thc
national veins, which could restore us to Wuhty.
The art of true military and political his
torian is shown by the novelist in discussing the
causes that made Frances defeat in $40 lnevlta-
BILE Then he draws therefrom these philosophical
Deductions The lesson is that people IN order
to vanquish must be at the head of the other peo-
ples-that it should possess the science, the health
! the genius of its time We had forgotten that.
and had allowed ourselves TO be Outstripped. living
in vain confidence upon our oldcn glory Ana
that is how it came about that France, who had
carried her victorious flag into nearly all the
capitals of Europe when she represented strength
and intelligence, very nearly died of routine and
stupidity in her prison at Sedan"
In writing Of the actual conflict, NJ. ZOla draws
q powerful picture of the desperate situation of
the Emperor and Marshal MacMahon between the
departure Of their army from Chalons and its ar
rival at Chene PopuleuX on the night OF the 27th
of August. To 90 on was felt 70 be hopeless, and
both the Empeor and NlacNIahon recognized that
the only course possible was a retreat 10 the
north but their resolution 20 retreat was broken
by the insstence Of the Empress and the Ministers
in Paris. Yet TO go on meant the humiliation Of
more than hundred thousand men. In no
tragedy says NJ. Xolt is there more poignant
situation nor a more terrible human sacrifice Of
fered 70 destiny for the salvation Of an empire.
a can imagine the arrival of the Empress's tee-
gram at the nOtary's house at Chene-POpuleuX.
where the Emperor had put up. MacNahon was
there, and short consultation took place. What
they were asked for was simply the life Of the
army. To advance meant inevitable disaster, and
that they were both convinced Of il all the docu-
ments prove. TIE retreat TO the north meant es-
cape from danger-for the present, at all events
and there still nothing to prevent the army
DE-
Telegram, the orders were changed. and next mora
ing the march toward the Aleuse was continued.
throughout the march what a tragic and
lamentable figure was that of this miserable En-
peror lie may himself have been most to
blame; but the heart is seized with an irresistible
pity when one pictures him, i'll and fallen, igno.
miniously carried along by the tumultuOus torrent
What spectacle is that of the master, yesterday
acclaimed by the seven millions of the pebiscite
to-day stripped of his imperial authority. which
he had placed in the hands of the Empress: de-
prived by his own act of the chief command. with
which he had just invested Bazaine: no longer
more than the vague and indefinite shadow of an
Emperor, a useless encumbrance whom nobody
wanted whom Paris repulSed, and for whom there
? was no longer room, even in the army. The pool
man was like lost child, carried about Us
; troublesome charge, yet condemned TO drag III
, hold, his Cent-Gardes, his carriages, horse.
and cooks, with wogon-loads Of silver sauce
, pans and cases of clampague-his imperial man
lie, spanglcd with golden bees. trailing the Will,
in the blood and dust OF the high roads OF defeat
" II long seemed Us though Sedan was the END
Of France and that we should never again b,
able to hOll up our heads, drained we were Of
blood and Of miniar'lS But France is once more
upon her feet, and no longer feels either shame o.
fear 1t is true that nobody wants war. Sucl
a desire would be exccrable. At Sedan we in
TERED with our dead the remembrance Of our bel
lcose humor-the legend which represents tn,
French trooper marching 10 the conquest of neigh
p boring Kingdoms gayly and for the mere pl"asur
Of the thing. With improved arms war has he
q come frightful thing, into which, in future. m
= tons will enter only with anguish, after havini
done everything in the world TO prevent it. i
q is now only absolute and mperiOus necessity whcl
h can bring one nation into arms against another
. Yet war is inevitable. Soft-hearted people VIII,
{ dream Of its abolition and call congresses TO dc
cree universal peace do no more than establish
Utopia. In the course of centuries, when all tn
. nations had come 10 form but one people, ont
!, | could, perhaps, conceive Of such a golden age
and even then would not the extinction of wa
p mean the end of humanity. War IS life Itself
r. ! Nothing exists in nature, nothing is borne, o
Il crows, OF multlpnes save by combat. The WOrl
g can live only by eating and being eaten. Aud
i is only the like nations that have prospered
. Il nation dies when il disarms. War is the schoo
!. of discipline, sacrifice and courage. We mus
wait for il, gravely. Henceforward we hav
- nothing more TO fear Time has been on our side
= | and it would seem now that it is about TO wor
& against our vanquishers. Germany, so proud 70
T. the last twenty years. is at the apogee of he
~ | power; bat do not already seem 10 hear tn
: tlrcatcnings of disruption? The great men O
n the conquest are disappearing one by one, an
: there now remains but one, malade de 50 disgrace
= like TO those old men who are carried of by th
smallest illness And higher still We see the son
bre drama Of heredty: the grandfather enl6alme
in his glory, the son destroyed in a few months
. the grandson, who seems To have inherited cance
- L.. H.. L..