Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-07-26
One Year of Great War

VIII De long, out NhS NNldse ami pa-
thence of our people will be equal to
the task of seeing it through.
France Has Found Herself.
In short, perhaps the greatest accom-.
plishment TO France S credit in the last
II months is that she has found herself.
To appreciate fully NJ Cruppi s.
words one has but ia glance back at the
France of the years just preceding the
war; France. the antitheSis OF Germany
where collectively is the national pas.
sion; France, the nation Of individual
workers and thinkers where no two peo.
I pie could be expected to agree ON any
| subject.
In the chamber at deputies there are
score or more parties instead of two
or three as is the case IN the United
States. The Dreyfus affair spht the
nation into two hostile camps and each
camp into others with varying opinions
The Caillaux case TO some extent did
the same thing.
All manner of pessimi>tic talk was
heard on cafe terraces and even in
drawing rooms, A sad fate was in
store for the land. Surely revolution
was coming. Another restoration was
on the way, some said while others de.
clared a second commune cUlld not be
averted. Treason, il seemed. was on
all sides and in high places; among po.
litical leaders, SO il was ntimated, one
was as bad MS another, or worse if this
were possible, which it was not. The
'heater gave the impression that even
French home life was rotten
The things one saw aud heard in
Paris gave one rather gloomy feeling
that is, IL he believed all he saw and
heard. One got the idea that patriotism
was n lost emotion in France. Some
said the rovomtionareS had the upper
hand among the socialists and that the
socialists were running things. Labor,
they said, was ruling capital, and labor
and socialists, by their general strike
doctrine, had their hands at the throat
OF the nation. The Gustave Nerves
We're the real masters Of the land, aud
, Gustave Herve, YOU remember, editor
of the Social War, spent time in
prison because he advocated general
strike, or rebellion, among the soldiers
in the event France should GO to war
, with another nation,
In short, the world too busy to 90
, below the surface of things, considered
France too highly educated. The in,
dividual had too much sense, tol much
/ imagination He could talk hut he
could not fight. Should foreign
t power jump on France. Frcnchmer
/ would argue among themselves what
ought TO he done, each man advocating
. something different, while Frcncl
: troops would rebel aud may be shoot
' down their officers.
, Germany undoubtedly had some mcl
b idea. She expects to find France I'M
a prepared and French opinion divided
0 a great national schism developing tn,
moment there was serious talk ur war
or n revolution after the first success OF
French arms.
q France Becomes a Unit.
> But what happened The real Franc,
q found herself. The nation s heart, 8,
long hidden, was revealed, aud to tn
7 last man France became q unit. As NJ
n Cruppi remarked, nothing has shake
g this unity since
The moment the general mobili2atio
q o"der was posted in France all classc
, rallied to the tr.color. Gustayc lIerv
tried TO enlist Labor became maryc
Of efficiency and patriotism. Amt
u. militarlsts boosted II considering il wa
" against what they are against -miital
, ism, Socialists became cabinet men
y bers, one now holding position simla
+, to that Of Lloyd George, minister O
|, munitions, In England
II was the "@crcd union" one O
!, frances greatest accomplishments.
Instead OF q revolt in the ranks, m
y troops dried the tears OF wives, sweet
y hearts aud mother, with laughter an
u went their way 10 war singing.