The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-07
SOCIALIST PROVES | MOSES FOR FRANCE New Wave of Patriotism
 Sweeps Over Nation CONQUEST OF THE AIR France Has Also Brought Artillery to Highest Efficiency in the World. Growing Dangers of Mor-
 phine Habit ]

Paris, April e.-(Specia1.)-1n France the unexpected always happens, fact of which we are now seeing a fresh proof. A year ago the general opinion in Europe as well as among many Trenchmen. was that France had passed its culmination point, that its people ever refined or degenerate were grad ually losing their love of country, and Ithat the strong syndicalistic and anti militarist movements, which appeared to be growing stronger every day, were signs of the beginning of the end, a twilight of the gods, preceding the .eY- Termination of France as a great na- ton. Today as if by a miracle we stand in the midst of patriotic renaissance. A socialistic minister of war has un- expectedly proved himself the Moses who is to lead his people out of the wilderness, though he or the system he represents, like Moses, may not live politically long enough to enter the promised land
 @ There is only one topic of conver- sation in France today, and 1t is one well calculated to amaze those who have not followed French events iEl recent months.
 l "The new France" is that topic, and what this means to every man, woman and child throughout pne country can ! only be realized by those who nave watched the symptoms
 The spirit of patriotism Is abroad. Since 1905 France has made her artil- lery unquestionably tho best in the world and her navy a most redouotabie force.
 More recently she was siezed with | the lair fever" and the subscription amounting already to some S575,e0o for | the purchase of aeroplanes for the army testifies to a Twill to live' that can command respect from the most power l ful enemy.
 Mistress of the Ar" and Mistress of the Mediterranean" are two of Frances titles that recur in all con- yersations. But there is third which l is kept behind the scenes, and for which conciliatory substitute is used -"Great Memories"
 1 The extraordinary demonstrations that are taking place all over France may have much greater consequence even than is at present apparent. l It Is no exaggeration to say that the whole of France is now heartily dis | SueSleu WILL SttidildI pblitlNS, dilu | that she wants to put an end once for all to the scandalous incompetence that has too often disgraced ministerial con- duct until a few months ago It is cer- l tain that many thoughtful people have come to the conclusion that the repub- lican form of government is not one 1 that makes for, national stability and progress.
 Plots to restore a monarchy are, of course, always in existence, neither the royalists nor the Bonapartists making any secret of their preferences. But rumor has it in Paris that one of these plots Is particularly extensive just at present, and that the Bonapartist hopes are running very high. %
 The Bonapartist plan would be. not | to force their candidate upon the coun- 1 try, but to make the country vote for a | personal ruler-who could only be the l Emperor"
 Many remarkable scenes are witnessed I in Paris in connection with the patri- otie revival. Three military tatoos that took place few nights ago were veritable triumph for the army. the soldiers being followed throughout by l thousands of people, including large numbers of workmen's wives and chill dren, who marched in step humming the tunes the bands were playing. | Some of the streets were decorated. | and in several cases the procession marched through the red glow of Ben gal lights which the inhabitants had placed on the balconies and in the win dows.
 As one of the bands was passin g | through a fashionable street in Troca- dero quarter, all the big drawing rooms were emptied in a moment when the band was heard to approach, men and women in evening dress rushing to the balconies, clapping their hands and shouting "Vive larmee.'
 | Hundreds of demonstrators after | wards marched to the statue of Strass- burg, in the Place de la Concorde, and to the statue of Joan Of Arc in the Rue de Rivoli
 | The other day it was the students of Paris who demonstrated their patri- otic feelings, 1900 of them. represent ling all parties-republican royalists, lBonapartists and atholics-marchin z to the statue of Strassburg, where they deposited wreaths. One of the wreaths was made of mmortelles and lnies--the latter a royalist symbol, to which. how ever, no objection wa. taken by any one.
 We are all Frenchmen now and noth- ling else,' is the spirit of the students societies. It is in 1910 that these dem onstrations were first organized after a private meeting between some of the
 
 reichstag, the Abbe Wetterle, who had just left a German prison.
 "Renan, Tolstoy and Anatole France are no longer our mas,ers," writes the president of the Students union in the Matin. We no longer listen to mere leloquence. Words no longer dazzle us. We have learnt that rne love of your country should be your first love. and that no melancholy song will give back to us the lost provinces.-
 | A recent morphine tragedy has had the effect of drawing public attention to the growing drug habit and to the clan ldestine trade in such poisons.s Inter- esting disclosures ons the subject arc made today. Cocaine is said to be the drug most in favor, though morphine runs 1t very close. Ether, which was much in fashion years ego, is now quite discarded As for opium 1t costs too imuch and the smoking apparatus is too elaborate to admit of its becoming a general habit. 4.s ..s... .A.s. s-sasas. | It is in the Montmarte diftrict and in the Latin quarter that these noxious drugs are most in vogue, causing all sorts of mischief, of which rulned ihealth may be the least. How do their unfortunate votaries procure themF II seems they are to be had at various