East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1915-03-22
BY WILLIAM PHILIP sIMMs

Omitted Press staff Correspondent
PARIS. March 3.-(By Mail TO New
York. Should France issue yictori-
GUS from the present war her success
will have been due, more than any one
0ther thing. to her "Soixante- -quinze'
her famous rapid fire. explosive
shell 75 milimeter cannon.
This fact is now incontestably rec
ognized in technical military circles
the world over. The wonderful gu
perlorlty of the instrument Of destruc-
ton over all rivals was first demon.
Atrated In the two recent Balkan
wars. Used by most Of the Balkan
Ftatos II wrought terrible destruction
aeeinsl the Turks equipped with ar
tillery cf German manufacture. In
The present war. this superiority has
50 nan Tested itself every day for the
past seven months that the "SOixante-
quhiIe' has Teen elevated in the
French pubic mind 10 place OF wor-
ship Almost alongside that accorded
to Joan Of arc.
Taking advantage OF this wave OF
popularity--if not OF actual Worship
the government has just made public
for the first time little OF the his
tory OF how the secret or the discov-
cry and development Of this most
perfected instrument Of modern war
fare-and also the most deadly-was
kept for years from the world at
large. II has about II elements OF Sc
crecy and mystery that alone would
make successful many novel or play.
II was in 1897. that the highest
technical and military men Of France
finally decided that all OF the genius
OF the country should be employed
in perfectlng the "Soixsnte- -quinze."
had then been in pro-
gress for seven years and had reached
a point where II was certain that the
model then decided upon offered
greater opportunities for development
than any other
At once. however those in on the
secret were confronted with the prob
lens Of being able 10 secure the Inn
mense appropriations necessary with
out arousing the suspicion OF rival
countries which would at
once eXhause every possible resource
Of espionage TO secure the secret OF
The gun. ANY debate in parliament or
even the appearance in the list OF APP
OF large sum for the spe-
clfic purpose OF perfecting the sol |
xante quinze" would have tipped off
The entire world. The money needed |
was not only for the actual perfect |
ing Of the new gun but for the Great |
ng OF all special machinery necessary 1
Tor It's construction in great numbers /
SO important was secrecy consider !
d that II was decided not only must I
he 600 members OF the Chamber OF /
Deputies be kept from knowing that /
lctual use TO which the appropriations
we're to be put, but even the thirty
members Of the commission which /
make up the annual budget of gov
'rnment expenses could not be allow
d TO share the secret. The first ap-
asked after the "Soixante-
uinze" model had been selected was
or $6.00O.0OO.
Under the circumstances. NJ Ma
Inc, who was then premier together
nd Minister OF Finances Cochery and
iinister OF War Billot appealed to the
resident Of the republic NJ. Feliz
azure. Although the latter had no
uthority in the matter. he consider
d the Importance Of the secret such
hat he loaned all the power and in
uence Of his high office to its main
,nance.
The president and the three min
tiers then called in the president of
lie budget commission, NJ. Paul De- {
,mbre and the secretary, Camille
rantz. They told these two that the
lture of France depended on the {