The Washington herald., 1911-08-13
SECOND NAPOLEON
SOUGHT BY FRANCE
Government Changes Cause
Troops to Decline.
PRINCE MAKES MANY FRIENDS
Narrow Escape from War with
Germany Strengthens Bonapnrt-
ed to Save Country from
Eternal Changes In Ministry.
Special Cable to The Washington Herald.

Special Cable to The Washington Herald
Paris. Aug 12.-The recent narrow es-
cape from the war with Germany which
most Frenchmen openly admit would
probably have resulted in another de
bacle." has enormously strengthened the
BonapartiSt cause and has added to the
followers of Prince Victor Napoleon
hundreds of thousands of Frenchmen
who care little for him personally, but
who are convinced that if France is to
maintain her place among the great
nations of the world, some way must be
found of establishing a firmer govern
ment-a government which does not heel
at the slightest breeze.
The prevailing feeling toward England
here is one of gratitude. because the
British government did not fail to show
its faithfulness to the entente Cordiale
in a critical moment, but back of this
gratitude a feeling that Germany would
have been taught a much needed lesson
and have been forced to eat humble pie
If England and France had sent war
ship each to Agadir Immediately after
the arrival there of the French gun
boat Panther.
Second Napoleon Sought.
Had this been done Germany would
never have dared propose that France,
without any apparent reason but the
momentary weakness of her government,
should cede to Germany part of one of
her most profitable colonies. To avoid
a repetition of an incident of this kind
growing majority of the French people
are signing for the appearance of a man
with some of the characteristics Of the
great Napoleon to grasp the reins OF
government and save the country from
the eternal changes which are sapping
its vital strength, running the respect
for the laws, and degrading France in the
eyes of the world.
Most alarming of all is the indiSput-
able facts that these continual changes
are affecting the efficiency If the French
army to such an extent that not only is
it at present anything but ready for
big war, but it looks If il is not even
ready for the usual great annual ma
neuvres in the north, which are, so to
speak, dress rehearsals of a war with
the Kaiser'S legiOnS.
Military system Suffers.
In the last few months France has had
no less :han four ministers of war; Gen.
Brun, NJ. Bordeaux. Gen. Goiran, and
NJ. Messiny, each of them with a dis
tinct system of his own. To the con-
fusion resulting from experimenting with
these various systems comes the fact
that the long military Occupation OF the
TiOtOuS champagne ulSll lSlS IIdS NOSl ~
much money that there has even been
some talk of giving up the great ma
neuvers this year from motive of econ
ony--
Germany's sudden move and other
foreign complication, however, quickly
convinced the government of the un-
wisdom of such step and Gen. Reg
nault accompanied by the most proml-
nent members of the general staff are
now at st. Quentin to make an inspec-
tion. On his return he will at once lay
a plan for the maneuvers.
The army's progress since 1865 has been
continuous. Anti-militarism has no sue
cess among the peasants. who. after all,
are the real fighting material of France.
officers and men understand each other
very we'll, and there is mutual confidence
and sympathy. The French army has
now the unique advantage of possessing
an admirable service of military aero
planes These aerial st. Michaels will
be the angels to inspire the French troops
N deeds of ValOr.