Evening star., 1915-06-11
Called Terrible Accusation.

terrible accusation against the minis
Ter of war.
NJ. Durafour replied that he did not
wish to impair the agreement and
unity which existed among Frcnchmen
and that if he denounced what was
wrong it was for the purpose OF trying
to have it repaired.
When the government saw their
mistake, he said, land undertook to
remedy it. their methods were arbi-
trary and the error was made of al
lowing unframed men to come back
from the front among expert work
men"
Evading Service at Front.
N. Durafour alluded to intrigues to
obtain exemption and cited some ex-
amples. Thus the story grew that
workmen generally in the factories
were simply those who were evading
service at the front.
He went into the relations to the
country of the workmen engaged in
manufacturing munitions, asserting
that they were as essential to national
defense s the men in the trenches,
taking similar line of argument to
that adopted by David Lloyd George in
the agitation in England.
Answers the Attacks.
The minister of war. Alexandra Mil
lerand. in answering attacks that had
been previously made on his depart
ment, said:
There is no dissension to that portion
OF the bill which has for its object the
distribution and utilization of men for
national defense. But it appears that
the articles of the bill have a more
precise and limited end in view. name
ly. to render to the nation all resources
In ablebodied men.
Two questions must be considered
what measures have already been taken
to this end prior to the date of the pro-
posed bill. and with what will the bill
add to these measures"
Defends Men Relieved.
The minister showed by facts and
dates the measures which have been
taken, and said he was glad to speak
in behalf of those men who had been
relieved of active duty at the front
and had been placed In the factories.
He recalled the trying circumstances
at the opening of the war, when he
was forced to call upon all Industrial
workers for the hurried manufacture
of munitions and war material, and he
described how he had to use every pos
sible means to find the necessary
trained workmen.
NJ MlIlerdnG said he was aware that
this system had been abused and work.
ers. whether especially skilled or not,
had to be employed to turn out suffi-
cient material. He had taken measures
TO correct the abuse, in giving employ
ers the power to dismiss any man not
doing his share and send him back to
the firing line.
650,635 in Munitions Branch.
The number Of men taken into the
munitions branch OF the service, he
announced. was 65o,S35
In conclusion NJ. Millerand said:
David Lloyd George. in a magnificent
speech, paid homage TO he work of the
French in munitions But we must in
tensify our labors. Let US withhold all
measures which seem imprudent. Let
US accept and understand all criticisms
/ realize that my work is imperfect
and below my ideal.
Does none of you possess a sense of
national pride?-as 1t is in national
pride that you will find the solution of
tion / wish to illustrate what the Ger
mans think of us as shown in their
oress. To them the French are a YER
satile, but undiscipiined. nation. The
Germans deceive themselves when they
props gate such false ideas and incor-
porate them in an expression Of pub
lie opinion. They are lost and yet they
Ray that France cannot hold out"
Taken suddenly sick in an alley in
Baltimore. Joseph Westland, forty