The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-10
FRENCH UNIVERSITIES
REPLY TO GERMANY
Blame Prussian Militarism for
War and Destruction of
Historic Edifices.

The answer OF the universities of Franc,
to the recent address of German un!ver
sites to American universities was mad,
public yesterday by Dr. A. Geoffre d,
Lapradellc, visiting French professor a.
Columbia University.
DR.. de Lapradelle IL the oficial repre-
sentative of the universities OF Frame
which IL in territory occupied Ivy the
Germans. we're consulted before the an.
sver was prepared.
The manifesto follows:
The universities OF France address
the following manifesto to the universe.
ties Of neutral countries
The German universities have Just
protested against the accusations made
against their country upon the occasion
of the war. The universities OF France
will limit themselves TO submitting tn.
following questions:
"Who wanted war"
Who strove TO find means OF conciha
ton during the too short time left e
Europe for It's de!iberatlon? Who re
fused all proposals OF concil!ation en,a
mating from England. Russia, France anc
Italy?
who. AT che very moment when th'
conflict seemed 10 have been averted. un
loosed war as II prupitious opportunity
who violated Belgian neutrality after
having stood warrantor for IL?
who. upon this occasion. declared
that neutrality was but word. that
treaties are mera scraps o. paper and
that in time OF war 'one does what one
cam
who holds as void those in,erna'
tional conventions by which signatory
Powers agreed that in the conduct OF
hA b.
barously or perhdIously and that histor'
Zeal monuments. hospitals. ~ciers'hc. ar
tistlc or religious structures should bs
spared excepting when used for military
purposes by the enemy?
Under what conditions was the Uni
versity OF I.ouvain destroyed
"U,rder what conditions was the Cattle
dral OF Rheims burned?
'W'nder what conditions we're incen.
diary bombs thrown on Notre Dame o,
Paris"
ITO these questions the facts s,on. may
give an answer.
"You may consult ths documents pub
lshed by the chanccliors. the results of
investigation. by neutral countries. The
evidences found IN German notebooks. the
evidence afforded BY the ruins OF Bel
gium and the ruins Cf France. These are
our proofs
Against these proofs Nat denials such
as have been given by representatives OF
German science and German art. sup
ported merely By peremptory word OF
honor. are rot sufficient. Nor Is II SUI
nclent to say az do the German universe
ties that the world knows our teachings
and that they could not have made A
nation Of barbarians
I'VE know what has been the value ~
those teachings. Hut We also know that
Germany Saving ;oresworn the traditions
Of Iebnitz. Kant and Goethe. German
thought has declared itself one with and
subject TO Pfuss!sn m,li;arism and car
,ied away by its present claims "a uni
versal dominion.
we have abundant proofs OF such pre-
tsntions. Just recently a professor Of
the University OF Leipzig wrote: The rate
OF future European culture rests upon
our shoulders
The universities OF France. however.
continue 20 believe that civilization Is the
work not Of a single nation but OF all
nations and that the moral and intellec-
tual wealth OF humanity IN created by the
natural variety and necessary indspen.
dencs OF the manifestations Of the genius
OF all nationali;ieS
The universities OF France tor thar
part. together vita the allied armies. are
defending the liberty Of the world"
The manifesto Is signed BY tho univer-
stiles of Paris Aix-Marseille. Aiger. Re
sancon. Bordeaux, Caen. Clermont. Dillon,
Grenoble. Lyon. Montpeliier. Nancy. Poi
tiers. Rennes and Toulouse.