Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-10-10
ARMY OF WORKERS
MAKING MUNITIONS
Industry Has Been Wonderfully
Speeded Up by French
Republic.
ALL FACTORIES ARE BUSY
Military and Private Workshops
Turning Out Weapons
of Death.

Especial Cable to The Times Dispatch.1
PARIS. October e.-I have just re-
turned from Creusot. where. together
with n number OF other neutral CORE
spondents. finished a most interesting
round Of visits to the French munition
factories. The purpose OF the trip was
to give us. who had already once be-
fore visited some Of these factories. an
impression OF how immensely the man
ufacture of arms and ammunition has
boon sped up since our last visit.
Two kinds OF factories were shown
TO by our guide. NJ Albert Mach
bnur. the military workshops and the
private establishments. Among the
former. ia manufacture d'armes." Al
Chatellerault. easily stands first. Here
are made the famous Lebel rifles. the
French machine guns and the millions
OF bayonets which the French poilu
calls "Rosalies."
ARMY OF STEEL WORKERS
TURNING OUT 75's
At Bourges we found an army of ex-
pert steel workers turing out hundreds
OF 15's every week. besides a number
Of other guns and howitzers. which
have not achieved the fame of the cclc-
brated French field gun. but which arc
OF equal Importance TO the French
armies.
In tho pyrotechnical college OF
Bourges we saw how all kinds of shells
are loaded. from the small hand
grenades to gigantic projectilcs be-
tween Ave and six feet in length. To
give an Idea of tho magnitude OF the
work done at Bourges. I may mention
many inhabitants as three or four
months ago.
Among the private workshops opened
to us were the factories at Montlucou
and Commentry. and were also
present at practical tests in the field
OF the new feld guns supplied by
France to the Italian army, improved
75's designed by Colonel Deport. We
followed the making Of shells through
all phases. and also saw how
gigantic howitzer, even larger than
any OF Krupp's. was manufactured
among n deafening din OF steam ham,
mers and revolving machines in front
OF the immense furnaces.
Naturally, our trip ended in the cclc-
brated Schneider works. At Creusot,
which now occupy n space OF nearly
500 hectars. and employ more than
100000 workers, men and women.
Three French priests. the Abbots
Georges Ardant. Thell!er de Pouche-
VILE and Jean Desgranges, who have
observed the people OF France respcc.
lively in the trenches. in hospital
trains and field hospitals and in the
districts behind the front, have issued
a wonderful book. which gives q splcn-
did picture OF the moral strength OF
the French nation during this war.
rrt do IN ,,Nj1
in railroad cars. in bombardcd cottages
or inside the ruins OF churches. The
material gathered has been arranged
in chapters. but every effort has been
made TO prevent truth from being
rihced in favor OF the picturesque, and
TO remain true to the purpose Of giving
realistic description of the emotions
Of the soul Of the French people.
What have these priests read in the
souls OF the French soldiers who went
into the trenches to be killed that
France might live? Every line they
have written bears testimony to the
fact that never has people whose feet
marched through morass of blood
been so magnificently and gloriously
alive.
Rarely has the soul Of France risen
higher than to-day" writes Able
Theillier de Pouchcvlle. Rarely has
the soul of France proved more beauri-
full and worthy OF love than while its
flesh was being mutilated during the
awful battles Of the past year. just
the infinite love that was In the heart
OF Christ was never revealed more
eautifully than while He hung nailed
TO the cross.
Our men have given without reser-
walton their youth, their health and
strength The mothers and wives of
France have given even more. / have
heard mother say: I have two chill
dren. God in Heaven only knows how
7 love them, but II He needs them that
France may be victorious and once
again become n truly Christian nation
I give their lives gladly The voice
Of the fathers Of France has spoken
most clearly In tho words Of the gen
eral who. when suddenly informed OF
The death of his son, said: I can do
nothing for him, but I can do some
thing for France. Let us work for
her
FRANCE PROUDLY POINTS
TO IT'S SOLDIER HEROES
France to-day proudly points out
these heroes to world that thought
her decadent and degenerated You
thought me decadcnt and you already
prophesied my death, the disappear
ance Of a once great nation. Severe in
your judgment of my errors, unable to
understand the complex mysteries of
my soul, do now be just to the strength
of my regeneration which God has
prodRiously given me! Look at nv
sons in whom l have como back TO
new life! These arc the ransom / nav
for my sins. as they are the justifica-
ton Of my hopes. Through them have
broken and crushed the peril OF seryi-
tude which had como over my soul and
my genius. Through them / shall soon
break the shackles which have tenn
porarily paralyzcd my soaring flight
upward. Their faith shall lead me