The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1911-04-03
WAR is USELESS
PEACE IS NATURAL
Barron De Constant Pictures
the Pititul Scenes Of
Tragedy.
PEOPLE CRY FOR PEACE
Governments May Arrange for War
But No Bitterness Exist Between
People Of Different Nations.
The Fate Of France.
Associated Press Special.


San Francisco, April 3.-The use
! lessness of war, with the conflicts
/ between France and Russia as the
1 particular illustration was preached
I here today by Baron d-Estournelles
/ de Constant, who has been speaking
| throughout the United States for the
cause of international peace.
Without discussing recent wars,
but merely those that have taken
place between France and Russia,
said Baron de Constant, I'VE may be
said to have lived through a chapter
of history which will be written one
of these days under the title that en-
lightened patriotism would give it
useless wars. In less than d cen
fury, French armies have carried
war into Russia, first to Moscow and
then to the Crimea Neither of these
wars has been taken to heart and re-
membered by the Russian people,
and they have not held France res
ponsible Neither at Moscow in Ma
poleon's time nor in the trenches be-
fore Sebastopol did the French sol
diers discover any sign of hostility
| hatred or incompaibility among the
/ Russians. The past has vanished;
liking and affection spring up from
the first direct contact between the
tv1 peoples and che France-R nsAiar
J alliance seems as if it had always ex
isted
And yet the two government
before they came to an understand
ing had long regarded war betwee
the two countries as a natural an
necessary state of things to be gen
orally accepted in virtue of reasons
of state, The governments believed
that both nations were bound to hate
| each other, while the people them
! selves asked for nothing better
! than mutual confidence. While the
two governments were deciding for
war, the two nations were friendly
and neither defeat nor bloodshed nor
bitterness has been able to stifle this
sentiment.
1T was all very well for govern
ments to admit that they were mis-
taken, but that did not bring back
the victims to life and to the service
of their country. During visit
paid to Moscow, it seemed as il
were living the trials and sufferings
of our unfortunate grand army all
over again. At least 600, 900 men
We're mobolized for the campaign in
Russia They were drawn from all
the countries conquered by France,
and they included about $50, 900
young French conscripts. AS the
generations fit for service in the ar
MY had been already wiped out, 1t
was found necessary to lower the
/ age limit and begin to take mere
| boys who, though brave enough,
/ were physically unable to Withstand
| the fatigues of campaigning All
these youths had to be marched
across Europe as far as the Niemen
/ and part of them at least, beyond
over the Russian steppes, only TO
/ take part in the climax of war, the
/ burning Of Moscow, the retreat OF all
I the inhabitants, carrying away with
/ them all means of subsistence, and
the most pitiless of winters, com
] hllleQ VIII inc ltAANHA' NNi''''9
/ the denouement of the tragedy.
'My way back to France from
Moscow by railway TOOK me over
practically the same route as the
/ French troops followed in their re-
treat. Even in an express train 1t
seemed useless. It took in whole
dae and night, and the names of sta
tions, such as Baredino, Smolensk
and Beresina, aroused painful mem
cries Those were the places where
our troops had to fight their way
back to a hostile Europe, the battle
field of Peipzig and the final cam
paign in France.
Il saw the snow spread out over
the plain like an immense white
sheet Not the least trace of road
was visible for many and many a
mile-a waste through which our
Officers and men, destitute of almost
all supplies, had to make their way
at any cost. Every day some OF the
weaker succumbed Shrouded in ice
before they were dead. they were
devoured by the crows and wolves
! Think of the nights these men pass