Evening journal., 1915-03-20
nv WILLIAM pBILTp sIMMs.

Omitted Press staff Correspondent
PARIS. March 3.--(By Mail 10 New
rkl.-Should France issue victori-
Gus from the present war. her success
will have been due more than any one
other thing to her "Soixante-quinze"
her famous rapid fire. explosive
shell rs millimeter cannon.
This fact is now incontestably rec
ognized in technical military circles
the world over. The wonderful SUI
periority of the instrument OF destruc-
tlon over all rivals was first demon
strated in the two recent Balkan wars.
Used by most OF the Balkan states
It wrought terrible destruction against
the Turks equipped with artillery OF
German manufacture. In the present
war. this superiority has so manifest
cd itself every day for the past seven
months that the "Soixante-Quinze" has
been elevated in the French public
mind TO a place of worship almost
alongside that accorded to Joan Of
Arc.
Taking advantage of this wave of
popularity-if not of actual worship
Aht SoNti Hdo just UubliN
for the first time a little of the his
tory Of how the secret OF the discov-
cry and development of this most per-
fected instrument of modern warfare
and also the most deadly--was kept
for years from the world at large. 1t
has about it elements of secrecy and
mystery that alone would make sue
cessful many novel or play.
II was in 1897, that the highest tech
nical and military men of France fin
ally decided that all Of the genius
of the country should be employed in
perfecting the "SOxante-quinze.' EX-
periments had then been in progress
for seven years and had reached a
point where It was certain that the
model then decided upon offered
greater opportunities for develop
ment than any other.
At once, however. those in on the
secret we're confronted with the prob
lens of being able to secure the i'm
mense appropriations necessary with
out arousing the suspicion of rival
military countries which would at
once exhaust every possible resource
of espionage to secure the secrets Of
the gun. Any debate in parliament
or even the appearance in the list
of appropriations of large sums for
the specific purpose OF perfecting the
"Soixante-quinze" would have tipped
off the entire world. The money need
cd was not only for the actual per-
fecting of the new gun but for the
creating OF all the special machinery
necessary for its construction in great
numbers.
So important was secrecy consider
ed that IL was decided not only must
the 900 members of the Chamber of
Deputies be kept from knowing that
actual use to which the appropriations
were to he put. but even the thirty
members OF the commission which
make up the annual budget of govern
ment expenses could not be allowed
10 share the secret. The first appro-
priation asked after the "Soixante-
quinze" model had been selected was
for S6000.000.
Under the circumstances M. Maline
who was then premier, together with
Minister of Finances Cochery and
Minister Of War Billet appealed to the
president of the republic NJ. Feliz
Faure. Although the latter had nc
duluoTllN IN Tue mdltcI, ne COnSlueTeu
the importance OF the secret such
that he loaned all OF the power and
influence Of his office 20 its maintc-
nance.
The president and the three minis
ters then called in the president OF
the budget commission. N. Paul De
lombre and the secretary. Camille
Krsntz. They told these two that the
future of France depended on the bud
get commission making the appropri-
ations desired without even asking tc
what end they we're &C. be spent. The
president and secretary OF the com
mission alone were told the real Sc.
cret OF the "Soixante-quinze" and they
pledged their cooperation.
They induced the budget commits.
sion to make the initial appropriation
os s6,000,000 under a title that would
give no suspicion Of the real scope
This item still had TO be sanctioned
by parliament but the budget commits
sion, the president Of the republic anC
the three ministers manocuvred il