The Washington times., 1915-07-30
AS SEEN IN FRANCE
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS.

morrow. the general mobilization
order was posted In France calling
the men to the colors. This was
war Today her leaders consider the
crisis passed and that victory IL only
a question Of time. -
The minister of war, M. Alexander
Millerand. has announced that tho
German offensive Is broken and that
the defensive soon will be. Prime
Minister Rene Viviani, In an inter-
view granted me. declared German
resources in money and supplies to
be in a bad way. and M. Victor Au-
gagneur, minister of the navy, has
told me that Germany's submarine
war cannot have any effect on the
final issue.
France, therefore, is confident. but
not over-confident. She realizes that
there Is yet much work to be done.
She argues, however. that II Ger
many. with her flying start and an
army In the pink Of condition and at
Its maximum strength. could not
shatter the French army, caught of
its guard by a ''brusk attack" tho
Kaiser's forces are helpless now.
from that sudden first blow when she
stood alone to receive It. but 10
filter now than at the start Of the
war. The English are daily increas-
ing in number and the Russian ava
lanche Is considered inexhaustible.
Any Frenchman. or Frenchwoman.
will tell you It Is only a question Of
time.
France has astonished the world
by her staying qualities. by her un-
animity Of purpose and by her ac-
complishments. Here are some OF
her deeds during the first year Of the
war:
She accomplished her own soli-
darity.
She frustrated Germany's original
plan Of campaign.
She won the victory Of the Marne.
saving Paris.
She defeated the German attempt
to take Dunkirk. Calais, Boulogne
and other English Channel ports.
She forced the Germans to accept
either retirement from France and
Belgium or a winter campaign in
trenches.
She completed the reorganization
Of her army. under way when war
caught her.
She made an army Of individuals.
temperamentalists. and thinkers ihto
an army Of tenacious veterans, two
to one more efficient than at the
outset Of. the. war.
She banished the ghost Of 1870.
She learned to fight as the other
fellow fights; by burrowing.
She retook part Of Alsace. her lost
She stopped the crown prince at
Verdun.
She held, Nancy. the eastern gate
to Paris.
She created heavy artillery. lack
ing at the start.
She ousted shirkers from safe po-
sitions back Of the line and sent
them to the trenches. and brought
out of the trenches mechanics, en-
material factories.
She sent a large expeditionary
force to the Dardanelles.
She bottled the Austrian fleet in
the Adriatic just as England bottled
the German feet at Kiel. keeping
the Mediterranean open.
She successfully launched all war
financial measures.
She abolished absonthe and put
other intoxicants under control.
She provided for the families OF
soldiers.
She cared for her own refugees
and provided homes and nourish-
ment for Belgians
She placed women in mems Jobs
and kept the economic life Of the
country going.
She kept calm despite invasion Of
her territory. backed her soldiers
with a patient. toiling. united citi-
zenry; and. much to her credit. has
yet to utter the first word Of criti-
cism against any one OF her allies.
France WAS never so calm as now.
She has suffered-and Is still suffer-
ing cruelly-but she has not COM
planned. Her feeling runs too deep
for outward show. this revealing
a little-known trait of the French.
Judging by what France has ac-
compnshed during the first year Of
the war. and by her present deadly
calm. the powers Of central Europe
have a hot time in store for them
during the second year Of the war.
which begins Sunday.