East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1915-08-23
~ WILLIAM PHILIP sIMM8

by WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMs
I Omitted Press staff Correspondent J
PARIS, Aug. 3.-CBy MaiD-Nor-
thern France accuses Southern France
Of lacking courage, Of possessing a
yellow streak, Of talking a whole lot
and doing little in the way Of slau-
ghtering Germans
Since the very commencement OF
the war stories have been going the
rounds concerning the behavior Of
certain regiments, said regiments be-
ing recruits in the Midi-SOuthern
France Boiled down these stories
have it that these regiments turned
and fled in disorder Immediately they
found themselves under fire, that this
happened more than once but that the
guilty regiments had been badly pun
ished
Is it true that Frenchmen from
Southern France make bad soldiers 4?
To the neutral observer this would
not appear true for four of Frances
greatest generals hail from that cor
ner of the country. These are Cen
eral Joffre, General Gallieni, General
Foch and General Castenau.
Between Northern and Southern
France there has always been a feud
not unlike that which exists-Or did
exist-between the north and the
south in the United States. So far as
outsiders are concerned, France is
France without distinction as to the
particular part of the country one
, claims as home, But among them
I selves the northener looks down on
the southener and vice-versa: both
claim to be the real and true French,
both the speakers of the purest Lam
guage; both claim chivalry as their
own particular blrthright and so on
up and down the line.
] asked a highly educated soldier
belonging to one Of the regiments
which are said to have distinguished
| themselves by bad morale" under
fire, what was in the story. He re-
piled
I'VE are blamed for what has hap
pened in every war since wars began;
We ran but we only did what the best
soldiers in the world have done. and
would have done again under similar
circumstances.
The war broke out suddenly Al
most without a warning we were hus-
tied out of offices, from behind coun-
ters, from desks ad studies into uni
forms and rushed into trains. Our
trains went directly upon the battle
> field and We were detrained actually
under heavy fire. We did not have
time to assemble, to get our bearings
anything. We got off the train to be
shot down, Somebody ran. Somebody
else followed. Two more followed
the first and the others seeing some
running away, followed suit. II is a
psychological fact that this is what
. happens always under these circum-
, stances.
We should have been halted a
! mile to the rear, assembled anC
| marched in orderly fashion. into the
= firing line. In that way we woult
! have had time to look around, to set
/ where we were, to catch courage one
: from another. Wake the boldest
J man from heavy sleep, in the dead OF
: night, and let him have a great dan.
ger to face. He will be afraid pro.
viding he is not too stupid to have
any sensations at all Wake him ur
! and give him a few minutes time tC
get himself together. then let him
! face the danger and he will meet il
J as brave man should.
so it should have been with us
u was bad leadership to precipitate
men who had never been under fire
men fresh from the arms of wife OF
sweetheart or mother, into action in
such sudden fashion. Men who have
once faced bullets can be handled
that way but not raw recruits"
The story that soldiers from the
South of France lack courage is no
doubt a SANDER. General Joffre
comes from Rivesaltes, in the Pyre-
nees; General Gallieni from Saint
Beat also in these mountains; Gen
!