Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-23
FRENCH OFFICE
HOLDERS WORRY
At WAR RECORDS
OPINION SEEMS TO BE THAT CAN.
DlDATEs SHOULD LEAD THE
WAY TO BATTLE.

Paris, March 10.--(Correspondence
of The Associated Press.) s.)-French
politicians are already much interest.
ed in the question whether 1t will be
necessary for candidates for public Of
flee after the reestablishment Of peace
to have war record. Some members
of the chamber Of deputies who have
stuck to the Palais Bourbon instead Of
joining the army have shown irritation
at the publicity given to exploits of
their colleagues, some Of whom have
been killed and others like Monsieur
Maginot, former assistant secretary of
war, have been repeatedly cited in the
orders Of the day.
One deputy who recently returned
to Paris on leave Of absence said he
had found that presence at the front
was far better than an electoral cam.
paign for his political interests as we'll
as for the salvation of the country.
Besides" he said, ut is for the can
non to do the speaking now"
One socialist deputy, interrupting
an orator who was recalling the ex-
ploits of one of their colleagues at the
front, declared: 1T is not his place;
his place is here" This opinion seems
to be shared by considerable major.
ity Of the parliament but not altogeth-
er by the public. The municipal coun-
Gil of the city of Neuilly, whose mayor,
Monsieur Nortier, who was also q
deputy and who enlisted at go years of
age, carried the colors of his regi-
ment and was killed on the battlefield,
passed unanimously the following reso.
luton:
"The municipal council of the city Of
Neuilly-sur-Seinew whose mayor, deputy
for the department of the Seine, fell
upon the field Of honor, considering
that the defense Of the country is the
first duty of citizen, that equality
before the law is the formal right of
Frenchmen whoever they may be and
that no member Of any elective body
should seek to avoid 1t, that the rep
resentatives of the people should be
the first to give the example of respect
for the law and the duties Of citizens,
expresses the wish that all senators
and deputies Of military fitness be
obliged to do their military duty as
well as all other citizens"
Socialists, radicals, radical social
lists and other elements Of the left, see
in all such allusiOns an attack upon
the parliament and considerable anx-
iety is betrayed in certain parties as
to whether this spirit will grow and
what effect it will have on politics
when hostilities have ceased on the
field Of battle. There have also ap-
peared speculations as to the accounts
that must inevitably be rendered after
the war by parties responsible for OBJ
structing or neglecting the develop
ment Of armaments in the face Of Ger
many's obvious preparation. Advanc-
ed radicals appear to look to the activ-
ity In Catholic circles to renovate
their anti-clerical issue and thus or
set the war issue. The direction TAX
en- by political movements in France
is so susceptible of unexpected devel-
opments that speculation Is vague, but
not few far-seeing men look for mark
ed changes in the next general poltti-
cal campaign which in the ordinary
course of events will take place in the
spring of 1918 when the chamber Of
deputies is renewed.