Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-07
NEW NATIONS ALREADY
RISING OUT OF THE WAR
Shedding Themselves of Sel6shness.
Brag and Anathema Giving Way to
Splendid Ideals-Twentieth Century
Miracle in France.
Rv VANCE THOMSON


IL Is not what happens to you in life that
matters-its the way in which you face it.
| CoMETHING like this LIoyd-George said
~ In one Of his great speeches in the early
part OF the war What s happening in Ger
many and Austria and Turkey few of us know,
but as men do not differ much the world over
! chat is the chief thing one learns from traveD
one may take It for granted they are facing
| the war with high courage and exultatlon. 1t
] Is an amazing thing-but IL Is true-that there
are few towards In the world. There are men
! who don't want to enlist: who dodge conscrip-
! tion who hate the thought of going to the
| 'front.' but It is not because they are cowerds-
| It is because they are selfish lazy or in love,
| or any reason you please, except that they are
towards.
II you really think oowardoe is the trouble
with them. just slap one Of them in the face!
The unfortunate Austrions are as brave as
the man with the fes or the other man under
the "pickelhaube." And all of them, 1 dare
say are facing the war in the right way. l do
not know What 1 saw Of the German troops
was in the first few weeks Of the war up in
Alsace, wherein the first shock and strain Of
wsr-a kind of hysteria reigned. officers and
men were new to war and had not got grip
on themselves But have no doubt momen-
tous things are happening in Germany and
Austria; that the people, notably are learning
lessons that will change tho entire national
structure-when the fighting is done and the
day of reckoning comes for the rulers
New France Born
What is happening in France and England
I do not know Extraordinary things-thngs
that had seemed impossible TO the widest
prophet dream-reader last July. There Is no
exaggeration Cfor I have no need OF it, in say
ing that new France has been born-as in
war-pains unspeakable. For 10 years France
has been in the hands of the politicians where
Of you know.
When you looked out your window what you
saw moral political, social anarchy.
Came the war.
France had done brave things In every sphere
of human activity. Her musicians were in the
front of all nations; she was at the head of
science and scholarship; from painting to fly
ing she led; but 1t seemed that her high spirit
ual destiny TO end in tho gutter and the
mud and that her political destiny to die
in the appetltes and greeds OF the politicians.
In a day-in an hour-war knit together the
old energies OF the race. And II was a strange
thing to laughter die in France. After
the first horror of unexpectedness con-
quered. the faces of and We're
wiped clean of fear and also, Of laughter
as soapsuds. is wiped from a plate. 1t
strange to see the new facss-grave and steady,
awed but courageous. Faces of Gaullsh men
and women.
The old energy came back; and the old unity. |
Priest and Socialist, clerical and revolution
alre were merely Frenchmen. And the old high |
idealism came back. 1t strange thing |
and uncomfortable-to the middle
aged generation.
A Twentieth Century Miracle
Some day the history of the will give a |
page to that strange scene when ParIs-the
shrill. derislve Paris, you know-swarmed and
jlmmed its way into Notre Dame. And they
filled the vast cathedral from wall to wall.
They hung like punches of grapes tho an
cent pillars. And outside the parvis and the
square black with Misunderstanding.
Streets to right and left Were filed and the
bridge and the quays; and all who could kneel
knelt; and they sang the ancient cantices and
the old Archbishop came out and blessed them.
That was miraculous thing as has hap
nened in the twentieth century-Paris on its
knees, praying.
Up in little town in Picardy l saw the same
miracle. And at times It seems as though l
had never really known France-for this was
a new France.
1t was at Albert. That little town is a heap
Of ashes and broken stone and rotting bodies
now-for the Germans passed that way. But
was there before the Prussians shelled IT,
It's an unfortihed little vage-it was-on the
pretty river Ancre little place OF no i'm
pOrtanee TO any the 5000 or 1000 quiet
'olk who lived there. One day-I mention the
late because It is signlhcant-August 2l, thou
lands OF troops, French and British, We're being
sent through Albert on their way TO the front
de |
we're massed in the station and along the
racks. I standing on bridge high over
he railway. with a friend from Paris He
vas a man OF ttle-a count-Ifnown pretty well
His mother is a famous American.
And In all Paris he was the gayest most Gym
cal horseraeinsest and widest devil OF fell
ow, Then he had on dirty cap. red trousers.
dingy blue army coat with the worsted
tripes TO show his proud rank of-corporaI.
Ne were leaning over the parapet watching
he troops entrain. II was a blazing day; at
a:S5 p m. Suddenly the air seemed TO darken-
Iown below and around us. And the sun.
hat had been blazing ball, turned into a red
md dirty disk with rags Of crepe hanging
rom it,
And d'Hauteriye said; Bon Dieu! It's going
ut"
Then we remembered about the eclipse
hough we weren't studying almanaes in those
aysi and said; IT'S over all Of Europe-but
rs darkest over France"
And the Partisan leaned over The bridge and
houted down into the darkness. What he
houtsd was: God save FraneeP
And out OF the darkness below thousands upon
Of voices shouted back: GOD save
france"
The Old Spirit Come Back
1t was an extraordinary thing. In July you
y,,,ld have safa h ,vaa an lranosstht. .t.t. =.