Evening star., 1915-06-13
A POLITICAL MIRACLE IN FRANCE

mics believed that France might re-
sist sudden attack, because careful
note had been taken. OF the refusal
OF the pacifists to vote the necessary
armament which prudence and even
loyalty had demanded. France. in a
word, while her army had been
brought to a high state of. organlza-
tion. was not prepared for war. The
immense armies of the adversary were
always mobilized, to say nothing or
France, anarchy and revolution in Rus
STA. and possibly like conditions IN
England. The latter in any event
possessed. according to the enemy,
ridiculous little army"
An article in the London Times re-
ferring retrospectively to the condi-
tions existing in August. 1914. said:
There were days during the rapid
onvard march of Germany we feared
the French armies were too inferior TO
their adversary When we feared that
Germany would only be beaten on the
sea and on her eastern front. and that
after the war France would not sun
sist as power except due to the aid
of her allies"
1t is scarcely necessary to add that
the conclusions of the Times were
grossly exaggerated. France never
feared being crushed or overrun. for
she had unlimited confidence in her In
domitable army. which man to man.
ofilcer AS well as soldier. was Infinitely
superior to the adversary. even in the
quality of endurance. which was the
special forte of the Teuton soldier
France achieved her preparations
with calm dignity. for war appeared tn
her only as a suspended vacation. Bel
GUM defended her violat ed neutrality
with energy and desperate valor that
won for king and people the sympathy
and admiration of the world. barring
her foe, who had been one of her pro-
tectors
Belgium's heroic action proved the
salvation of France in barring tho
road while permitting the latter to
complete her mobilization.
In Frances armament there were
serious gaps. Happily. she possesses
an admirable field
Serious Gaps in cannon which has al
a.. ready proved its val
"a loen'' ue The army, brief
ly, was full of confidence in its strength
to face all conditions and the victory
Of the Marine was a sufficient test of its
capacity. NJ. Seippel. the anonymous
author of the article in the Times. said:
THE world held it's breath when the
Germans marched into France. 1t
was the combat of David and Goliath.
David fell under the blows OF the
formidable adversary at Charleroi But
a great chief revealed himself. 1t was
necessary to save the army as an In
strument of future victories. To do
this the chief sacrificed a large band
of territory and fell back. He fell
back rapidly, methodically. inflicting
upon the enemy terrible punishment
weakening him. fatiguing him. using
him by every means and burning ana
destroying everything in the enemys
path making il difficult II not impos-
sible to procure supplies for his army.
The French commander OWNED his
adversarys plans. watched carefully
his slightest mistakes and little oH
little led him on the ground where
where he proposed to roll him up un-
der the most favorable conditions. Sep
tember these conditions were real
ized. The offensive was comma nded
eloquence will cause it to remain eel
ebrated. France was saved.
Fifteen centuries ago Paris was threat
ened with destruction by Attila. King
Of the Huns. Now it was the emperor
of the Germans who would capture
Paris and impose peace before the
Russian ally was ready to lend aid.
Why the German general detected his
right wing and turning eastward
marched toward Meaux and Coulon-
miers is still subject of discussion.
Was Paris perhaps an Internal ma
chine, destined to destroy the German
army IL 1t possessed the city. Whateve-
Gen Won Kluck's reasons, they have not
vet been officially communicated to the
public and are unknown. There was
apparent danger in shutting his army
up in such city as Paris. while
French armies-that of Gen. Maunourr.
for example-were unbeaten, maneuv-
ering without. Remembering Sedan.
Gen Won Kluck decided to give Paris
wide berth. That Gen. Won Kluck was
far from having confidence in the
march toward Paris was manifested In
the fact that he had taken the precau-
tion to construct formidable trenches
on the Aisne, which were destined to
afford shelter to the German army.
which was soon driven back by the
furious onslaught of the pursuing
French.
The morning after the victory on the
Marine the French general addressed
the army of Paris
Address to the as follows: The
Army of Paris. tained tai during nve
entire days. without interruption or