The Washington times., 1915-07-26
AS SEEN IN FRANCE.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS,

PARIS. July @-"The great
world-war Is one year old this
week: What has France accom-
plished?"
/ put this question to N. Jean
Cruppi. ex-minister Of foreign af-
fairs. member of the chamber Of
deputies and of the foreign rela-
tions commission. a man physical
ly not very unlike Theodore Roose-
welt. He replied:
France accomplished the defeat
Of the Germans in the battle OF
the Marne: she stopped the Ger
man drive for Calais and the sea
she has kept Germany nailed to
the spot for ten long months,
steadily reducing her by attrition;
she has done many other big
things. but the greatest of all was
the dropping of internal differ
ences. her unifcation of all classes
with one, great, fixed purpose in
view: Victory"
YES" he continued earnes estly,
"our word union means some
thing more than the harmony Of
our people; there is something Of
the sacred in 1t. This sacred
union will last. France 10 as one
man with one idea: final success.
cost what II may The war, no
doubt. will be long, hut the cour-
age and patience of our people
will be equal to the task OF seeing
II through.
I'm short. perhaps the greatest
accomplishment to Frances credit
In the last twelve months Is that
she has found herself"
To appreciate fully M. Cruppfs
words one has but to glance back
at the France Of the years just
preceding the war: France. the
antithcsis Of Germany where coli
lectivity is the national passion:
France. the nation of Individual
workers and thinkers where no
two people could be expected ITO
agree on any subject.
In the chamber Of deputies there
are q score or more parties instead
OF two or three as is the case in
the United States. The Dreyfus
AFFAIR split the nation into two hos
tile camps and each camp into
others with varying opinions. The
CaillauN case to some extent did
the same thing.
All manner Of pcssimistic talk
was heard on cafe terraces and
even in drawing rooms. A sad fate
was In store for the land. Surely
a revolution was coming. Another
restoration was on the way. some
said. while others declared a sec
ond commune could not be avert
ed, Treason, 1t seemed. was on all
sides and in high places: among
political leaders. 80 II was inti-
mated. one was as bad as another,
or worse II this were possible.
which it was not. The theater
gave the impression that even
The things one saw and heard In
Paris gave one a rather gloomy
feeling-that is II he believed all he
saw and heard. One got the idea
that patriotism was a lost emotion
tionaries had the upper hand among
the socialists. and that the social
lists were running things. Labor:
they said. was ruling capital. and
labor and socialists. by their gen
at the throat of the nation; The
Gustave Herves were the real mas
ters Of the land. and Gustave
Herve. you remember. editor OF the
Social War. spent time in prison
because he advocated a general
strike, or rebellion. among the SOL
! ders in the event France should go
to war with another nation.
In short. the world. too busy to
go below the surface OF things. con-
! sidered France too highly educated.
| The individual had too much sense.
too much ina agination. He could
. talk. but he could not fight should
foreign power tump on France,
, Frenchmen would argue among
themselves what ought to be done.
! fercnt, while French troops would
rebel and maybe shoot down their
officers.
! Germany undoubtedly had some
such Idea She expected to find
France unprepared and French
schism developing the moment there
was serious talk Of war. or revo-
luton after the first success OF
! French arms
France found herself The nations
heart. SO long hidden. was revealed.
and to the last man France became
unit As NJ. Cruppt remarked:
! Nothing has shaken this unity
since.
The moment the general mopiliza-
tion order was posted in France all
classes rallied to the tri-color. Gus
| tave Herve tried to enlist. Labor
| became a marvel Of efficiency and
| patriotism. Anti-militarists boosted
| 1t. considering 1t against what they
| are against-militarism. Socialists
became cabinet members. one now
holding a position similar to that OF
| Lloyd-George. minister Of munitions
In England.
| It was the sacred union" one OF
| Frances greatest accomplishments.
| Instead nf revolt In tho ranks
J the. troops dried the tears OF wives.
| sweethearts. and mothers with
' laughter and went their way to
war singing