The Washington times., 1915-02-25
Vipiani Outlines
French War Policy
Premier Declares Germany's
Economic Rout Is Already
Complete.
BLOCKADE DRAWS TIGHTER
"We'I| Destroy Breeding Place
Of Perpetual Discord Be.
tween Peoples He Says.

BY WILLIAM PHILIP s1MMs.
UNITED Press Staff Correspondent.)
Copyright, 1915, by the United Press.
Copyright In Great Britain.
PARIS. Feb. 25.-Premier ReSe Viviani
today pictured Germany to me as a
hopelessly beaten nation. 10 the first
interview the French prime minister has
ever granted any newspaper man.
French or foreign.
THE German torrent is checked" he
said tecisively. Germany is militarily
stricken. An implacable blockade is
drawing tighter and tighter about her.
Despite all precautions Germany has
taken to conceal the truth. I can assure
you that her financial and economic rout
is complete
The interview took place in the prime
minister's private office at the ministry
of foreign affairs. Here he works from
o'clock in the morning until II at
night. Dressed In a blue business suit.
his hair and mustache of iron gray. the
man at the head of the French govern
ment closely resembled an American
business man. When l entered he was
pacing the floor smoking cigarette.
hogany desk when the Interview began.
"Day for day the present war has
about reached the length Of that OF
1S7O," said Premier Viviani. But what
a difference In Frances situation! The
our armies at Sedan and Metz prisoners:
another army at Paris invested-in all
over 400. 900 men!
"The world believed France crushed.
But ten years after the war. at the Uni.
versal Exposition. she showed the world
France faced her problems squarely. re-
solved to solve her most arduous Int,
rior political questions. She retained
her ideals OF fraternity and liberty. She
applied them to her social laws. She
guaranteed her independence both by
Obligatory military service and by inter-
national alliances and ententes when
German diplomatic duplicity often tried
without success to undo. ,
''Then came this war which Germany
craftily prepared. then unclaimed.
Offers of Peace.
"If Germany really loved peace. she
might have had 1t simply by accepting
pourparlers at London on July q. or
two days later by accepting the Cars
call to The Hague Tribunal; or. on July
81, Great Britain's call to suspend milf
tary preparations in view of negotiations
at London. France. and Russia adhered
to all these pacific attempts, but Ger
many declared war. She had been
mobilizing for ten days.
Germany has sadly miscalcuI1t:eo:
Of countries other than my own, Ger
many expected discords and dissensions.
What she ran against was an immov-
able block without factions. without
divergencies Every son OF France & TOOK
up arms-rich. poor. Soc'eiiS' nS catSn- ESn-
servatives, Free Thinkcrs' ana Catho-
To-day Frances policy continues to
be what in the name of the government
it was stated to be on December 22:
NOUS on this point. We are unanimous
in decarina that we will not accept any
but a victorious peace for all the allies.
The united pact Of September has
our signature. and for US. US. a treat treaty ls Is
intact They have checked the German
'oSft "What was aermany's first objective
point nt?-Paris. She failed to win It; Then
She She left 100000 cadavers on the User.
but she did not pass. Ehe same thing
happened at Nancy and at Verdun Ger
many was thrown aside. Her military
power 10 hard hit.
Her Rout Complete.
"Economically she is ruined. An i'm
placable blockade Is drawing tighter and
tighter about her. Despite all pre-
cautions she has taken to conceal the
truth. I can assure you that her finan-
cial and economic rout Is complete. II
her cities which tourists visit retain
the appearance of prosperity. 1t is to
the detriment Of the country districts.
which are being famished In order to
put up appearances before the outside
World.
Frances economic and financial sit
uation is normal. despite the enormous
expenses imposed by the war. We lack
nothing. The allies will fight it out to
the bitter end. Let there be no doubt
about that. FOR our children. we wish to
end once for all the peril of war engen-
dered by military caste. which In Ger
many has carried all classes before 1t.
1--WE will destroy this breeding place
OF perpetual discord between peoples.
We are battling for the right. We do
wish t. make slaves of no one. We Will
restore Belgian Independence. We will
! reunite the French family separated by
the mailed ist 'orty-four years ago.
We wish to be free. We will be!'
Has Infinite Tact.
Premier Viviani 10 one of the strong
est of the French leaders of today BY
infinite tact he has maintained tempera-
| mental France On an even keel to such