The Washington times., 1915-07-27
ONE YEAR OF WAR IN EUROPE
AS SEEN IN FRANCE
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS,

by WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS.
PARIS. July 27.--The Great Doubt
has been lifted from the heart Of
France.
The accomplishment Of this was
the grandest deed Of French arms
In all the year of Armageddon which
began a year ago this week. In
history the feat will be known as
the victory Of the Battle of the
Marne.
Not only did this victory prob
ably decide the fate Of France geo.
graphically. but its influence upon
the spirit Of the country was. and
still Is. incalculable. For. notwith-
standing the solidarity" accom-
plished instantly and spontaneously
on August 1. the day the General
Mobilization Order was posted. a
great doubt weighed like lead on
the hearts of those who marched
away singing as we'll as those who
stayed behind and wept.
Everybody remembered 1870.
The old remembered the swift de-
feat In the Franco Prussian war and
the horrible nightmare Of blunders.
The young had heard the story
time and again. The French. in 1870,
were totally unprepared for war.
were badly equipped. and badly led.
Their plans lacked cohesion. Gem
erals fought Independently. one Of
the other. Treason was laid at the
door Of one. and altogether 1t was
a terrible mess in which the poor
soldiers never had the slightest
chance. notwithstanding a courage
which wrung from even the Pruss-
ians the exclamation. "Oh. what
brave fellows"
So. last August, when the soldiers
started for the war. each one bore
in his heart a burden heavier than
the knapsack on his back: Would
history repeat itself? Would 1914
be another 1870? Was France better
prepared this time? Would she be
better led? Were her generals equal
to the great task ahead? II not.
them
The troopers dared not let their
minds run beyond this point. Individ-
ually the most intelligent soldiers in
the world. they have the other curse
and blessing Of civilization. an i'm
agination: SO they sang and quit
thinking: they toked with one anoth-
er. newer admitting even to them
selves-let alone to their companions
that the doubt was there.
Back home the hearts Of mothers.
fathers. wives. sisters. and sweet
hearts were troubled by the same
unexpressed dread lest 1914 prove
another 1870. And II such should
prove to be the case
They. too. smiled and talked cheer
fully Of a new and irresistible
France.
All knew. those who remained wait-
ing as well as those who went to
] war. that for fortv-four wears Ger
I many had been living. eating. sleep
ing. drinking. dreaming war. and
that this war had come. What about
| France? Who was General Joffre?
| Who were the other generals: News
| papers had but recently declared
| that France was unprepared; was
this true? And all went on being
| troubled in secret lest France should
again prove unreAdy.
| After vague news reached Paris
that General Joffre was in retreat
from Charleroi. the 1870 bugaboo
doomed bigger and bigger. Maubeuge
was invested: Lille was occupied
Then there came silent. tense days.
without any real news. The govern
ment moved to Bordeaux: the Ger
mans were now In Maubeuge. Cam
piegne. Soissons. Rheims. Chalons.
Epernay. Luneville. Vardun, and
Nancy were seriously menaced. Paris
It seemed. was doomed. and Uhlans
were reported to be at the yates.
The worst fears Of soldiers and
homefolks seemed realized. 1t looked
like another 1870. only worse.
Still there was no panic. There was
the exodus Of thousands Of people
who objected to living in aris dur
ing a German occupation. but the
city was calm. frances sacred
union" held firm.
But the doubt. instilled into tn.
mind Of France. by 1870. was there
CALLING and real. The people could
not know that General Joffre wa,
later to be called genius. They
could only wonder II his retreat wal
sorship was strict and they had few
facts to base opinion in. They die
not know the battle OF the Marine
was being fought, nor that Joffrt
tory there, a sort Of eighth wonder
of the world. Yet this was true
General Bonnal said of this battle:
This is the first time to m!
knowledge that a great army, re.
treating and fighting at the sam,
time and for eight days in success
sion. was able to furnish the effor
by itself to transform instantly IT.
long and painful retreat into an ir
resistible offensive"
Yet that is what the French arm,
WAS able to do. Through this vic
tory a new France was born. Th'
great doubt was lifted, the 1870 bug
aboo banished. The people wer
given confidence in the army. tn
army in itself.
I Henceforth. whatever may happel
to the French soldier. he will refus
to be DISCOURAGED. He can advance
retreat or doggedly hold what h
has won, any or all. with ten
acity and good cheer. He ha
faith in his officers, and faith I
himself. He knows the war may
long. but he grins and grits hi
teeth: "We'n get 'em at last" h
says.