Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-25
GERMANY FINANCIAL
WRECK, SAYS VIVIAN
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in Frances situation! The first three
months of the war of 1870 saw our armies
at Sedan and Metz prisoners, another
army at Paris invested-in all over 100000
men.
''The world believed France crushed.
But 10 years after the war, at the Uni
versal Exposition. she showed the world
the spectacle of a reborn country. France
faced her problems squarely, resolved to
solve her most arduous interior political
questions. She retained her ideals of fra
ternity and liberty. She applied them to
her eocial laws. She guaranteed her in
dependence both by obligatory military
service and by international alliances and
ententes, which German diplomatic du-
p1icity often tried without success to
undo.
''Then came this war which Germany
craftily prepared, then unclaimed. II
Germany really loved peace she might
have had it simply by accepting pour
parlers at London. July 20. or two days
later by accepting the Cars call to The
Hague Tribunal, or. on July 81, Great
Britain's call to suspend military prep
arations in view of negotiations at Lon
don. France and Russia adhered to all
these pacific attempts. but Germany de-
clared war. She had been mobillzing for
10 days.
GERMANY EXPECTED DIsCoRD.
''Germany has sadly miscalculated.
She realizes it now. Without speaking of
countries other than my own, Germany
expected discords and dissensions What
she ran against was an immovable block
without factions, without divergences.
Every son of France took UP arms-rich,
poor. Socialists. conservatives, free think
ers and Catholics alike.
To-day Frances policy continues to be
what, in the name of the Government, 1t
was stated to be on December 2:
''War without mercy We are unani-
nous on this point. We are unanimous
In declaring that we will not accept any
but victorious peace for all the Allies.
The united pact of September has our
signature, and for us a treaty is not
scrap a paper. Our armies are intact.
They have checked the German torrent
''What was Germanys first objective
point? Paris. She failed to win 1t. Then
she tried Dunkirk and then Calais. She
left 100000 cadavers on the User, but
she did not pass. The same thing hap
pened at Nancy and at Verdun. Ger
many was thrown aside. Her military
power is hard hit. Economically she is
ruined An implacable blockade is draw
ing tighter and tighter about her. De-
spite all precautions she has taken to
conceal the truth, can assure you that
her financial and economic rout is COM
plete. If her cities which tourists visit
retain the appearances of prosperity, IL
Is TO the detriment to the country dis
triets, which are being famished in order
TO put up appearances before the outside
world.
.sFranee's economic and financial sit
uation Is normal despite the enormous
expense imposed by the war. We lack
nothing. The Allies will fight il out
about that. For our children We wish
10 end once for all the peril of war en-
gendered by military caste, which in Ger
many has carried all classes before 1t,
FOR BELGIAN INDEPENDENCE
I'VE viii destroy this breeding place of
perpetual discord between peoples. We
are battling for the right We do not
wish to make slaves of any one. We will
Esstors Belgian independence.
we viii reunite the French family
separated by the mailed fist "A years ago
We wish 10 be free. We will be-"
Premier Viviani is one of the strongest
Of the French leaders of today. BY in
mite tact he has maintained tempera-
mental France on an even keel to such
"a extent that the people marvel. He
works Is hours daily. He has adopted
the American quick lunch habit. taking
oniy Is minutes at meal time.
Without q portfolio himself, he holds
an endless series OF conferences with
other members of the cabinet. He rises
st s o'clock In the morning, takes a cold
plunge, follows this with his rolls anu
eoffee ana then walks to his ONCE. This
is the only exercise he has time for. The
Premier IS Of athletic build and his yig-
ofous manner impresses a visitor lie
smokes numerous cigarettes. Despite his
hard hours he Is always afable and op-
timlstle. and he ands plenty Of time 70
saalle