Evening star., 1916-01-08
FRANCE TO Be STRONGER
WHEN THE WAR IS OVER
Arthur Stanley Riggs Discusses
Conditions There and Makes
Prophecy.
Lectures Before National Geograph-
ic Society. Depicting Horrors
and Trials of Present Strife.

out of the horrors and trials of the
present war France will arise stronger
and moro brilliant than the France
that mobilized in 1914, was the con-
fident prophecy made by Arthur stan
ley Riggs in his lecture, France from
Sea to Sea" delivered before members
of the National Geographic Society a.
New Masonic Temple last night.
France he said, has been ennobled
already by the terrific struggle. and l
feel that it is not too much to say that
the whole world will benefit from the
new France after the present\war. is IL
benefited from the France of after the
French revolution.
The speaker said the war has proved
that the France OF before these disas-
trous days was misjudged. even by its
friends. who feared that it was ma
tion which had refined. had pampered
itself into d.generacy. the birth rate
was low; the death rate was high, he
continued. and the whole people seem
ed soaked in absinthe.
People Faithful and Cheerful.
The horrors of war. however, have
found the French faithful to endure
and cheerful to sacrifice he continu-
ed. The women of France have shown
themselves to be just as brave as
their husbands and sweethcarts in the
trenches: the whole country is giving
wonderful example of French
strength.
There are number of voluntary
organizations founded for the purpose
CT aiding the nation in every manner
TO bear lhe burdens of the great
deluge- The well-to-do widows have
banded osether to assist the less we'll
OF peIe
this work is done without taking on
aay of thu characteristics OF charity.
There is another organization that
makes its especial care the destinies
OF helpless children; another that cares
for blind men and refits them for life;
another that devotes itself TO rebuild
ing the homes destroyed by the pass
ing of combating armies. One OF these
var-born organizations takes upon
Itself the furnishing of the neW-built
homes, ami still another replaces the
linen and cloth losses suffered by
families III the devastated areas now
regained by the French. Then there is
society which sends clean linen and
warm clothing to French prisoners in
the various enemy-countries.
The wonderful Roman faculty for
organization. inherited by the French,
has brought about reconstruction of
the military and civil life of the na-
ton"
Conditions in Northern France.
The lecturer spoke of the war-smitten
territory of northern France, and ex-
pressed the belief that some of the
priceless treasures i'll art lost to the
nation and to the world in the all-de-
vouring frenzy of modern impersonal
battles can never be replaced. The
Rheims Cathedral. the most beautiful
and marvellous architectural monument
restored to its pre-war splend6r. he
commented.
''In northern France" Mr. Riggs de-
clared. there are many famous towns
which have been literally swept out of
existence. and irreplaceable memories
from times of centuries ago destroyed
Arras lies in ruins. Its ancient, famous
town hall has been destroyed. Scissors
IS. likewise, largely ruins, and in this
city were houses dating from the
twelfth century. The loss of Rheims
Cathedral. however. stands out sharply
rs one of the most severe artistic losses
OF the war. In this cathedral the re-
hSious wave that swept France during
the thirteenth century found it's most
beautiful EXPRESSION.
More know about Rheims as the
headuuarters for the champagne trade
than as the city with the worlds most
beautiful cathedral The champa gne
grapes are dark grapes. and the great
est care must be taken in pressing
matter into their juice There are prob
ably good stocks of the champagne
wines left, and last years harvest, de-
spite the injury caused to the vine
yards, was good one"
Shows Group of Fighters.
The terror of war, as it is being
waged in the fields of France and Bel
giun. with all the latest arts for de-
struCtion in its employ is the fearful
impersonali6y of it. the lecturer said
He closed by showing the picture of a
group of fighters in the first-lfne
trenches. wearing steel helmets and
1nconyruous gas masks.
Could there be any personality in a
war fought by such groups" he asked
Might not these be just as well Mar
tiaus mem"
No feature of the faces of the little
body OF fighters could be seen through
tn"lr war equipment. In such a group.
as the lecturer pointed out there
could be found no more human in