The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-22
Emile combes. Above-Gen. Sarrail.

cooperation OF Joseph Caillaux. Pro-
claiming himself as opposed TO every
thing in the nature of m!litarism, he
insisted on the reduction OF compul-
sorry service in the army and navy
from three to two years, educe 10
TIE vanishing point all credits neces-
sary for the building of warships
and for the manufacture OF every sort
of war material and through his
Minister OF War. the ignoble Gen.
Andre. endeavored to drive out OF the
army every oftice who permitted his
wife and children to attend divine
services, no matter whether Catholic
or Protestant.
1t was Andre who excited so much
Indignation by his misuse OF secret
service funds and by his invocation
Of the assistance of the political Ma
| sonic lodges throughout the
try in investigating the private life
of every army officer and Of his wife
and children for the purpose of ascer-
tanning whether or not they wee con-
nected with any church. BY the dis
honorable methods he employed In
this connection Gen. Andre made him
self so impossible and involved him
| self in such universal execration that
! after his face had been publicly
slapped on several occasions he had to
be jettisoned by Premier Combes In
order to save the Cabinet from ship
wreck.
Ever since then the Radical party
has been committed to anti-militarism,
- A. z instead IF fhrap
years compulsory service in the army,
II some foul or fve years g the
Combes -Caillaux Radical party were
worsted In this matter and the coun-
try was definitely committed to the
three year term, II was because Rus
STA threatened to break Off her al
lance with France unless the three
year term was enforced, on the ground
that with soldiers of merely two years
training the French army would, In
Muscovite eyes. be useless as an ally
from a military point of view in the
event of war. The entire French ma
ton took alarm at this, and 1t was
popular sentiment that carried thu
day against the anti-militarists. land
ing Raymond Poincare in office as
Premier, an office which he held unit
elevated three years ago to the Presi'
dency.
Had IL not been for this advent L
power of the Poincare Cabinet, com
mitted to the three years service
term, France would never have beer
partly ready for the war which com
menced last summer and would hav'
suffered still greater disasters thai
in 1870. instead OF exciting the un
bounded admiration Of the cntir
, civilized world, even of her Teuto'
/, foes, by the superb showing of he
armies under the supreme comman'
-. OF gallant old Gen. Joffre.
Caillaux's record is so well know
that II will suffice to recall in tn
briefest fashion "A few Of the mos
unpleasant features thereof. lie oh
:, tanned the Premiership In 1911 by
piece of particularly odious persona
' treachery at the expense OF the the
: Prime Minister Monis. But he wa
!. forced out OF office n year later as IN
, result OF a Senatorial investigate
= which brought to light the fact tina
e while Foreign Minister Cruppi and hi
successor. NJ. de Selves. were Engage
in carrying on official negotiation
y through Jules Cambon, the FrenS
0 Ambassador in Berlin, Caillaux wa
o conducting secret negotiations benin
their backs with "A powerful syndi
s cate OF German financiers, with whor
g he had long been In business rela
lions and through whom. for the pun
pose OF promoting his own bushes
v linterests and theirs. he made to III