The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-30

force Of France and an active and
fighting force. That is why. among q
people Of agnostics and backsliders.
and cO0nbated.
Thus it was the religious concord
which was hardest to realize. at q
NJ first. In August and September OF
1914 bishops dared to regard French
military defeats as divine just punish
ments. The universal patriotism Of the
Church's adherents discouraged this
attitude Of a part Of the episcopacy
and at the same time the limos Ger
manophile leaning Of the Pope made
the faithful grieve profoundly. leading
them to lock up their faith in their
consciences. At the same time the
most militant free thinkers refraIn~d
from any attacks on religion. During
the war patriotism has been the only
religion of the French. One nay say;
perhaps ever to a greater extent than
at the time Of the French Revolution.
II the religious truce came without
too much difficulty The political and
social truces came quickly and easily.
Even the most rabid royalist news-
papers have rallied. at least for the
duration Of the war. to the defence Of
the republican Government. IL not to
the republican form. The Bonapartist
papers have ceased TO promise us a
Napoleon. The unified Socialists have
become Professionally ministerial and
three of them have entered and re-
main in the Ministry. Neither syndi-
calists nor their allies. the anarchists.
have refused the sacred concord. On
the tomb OF Jaures. assassinated OF
the eve OF the declaration Of war. one
Of the most ardent s~yndicalists. Jou.
haux. proclaimed the patriotic truce
with moving eloauence.
Nowhere is the truce more scrupu-
lousy observed than among soldiers,
above all on the firing line and in the
trenches. Common danger and united
action make the sacred concord a real
thing every instant. At the front all
distinctions Of "A social character or Of
opinion are effaced. There there exists
a real people OF brothers.
Bet the French do not want their
sacred concord to be an a~pathetic and
inert harmony. They want II to he an
active harmony. II il not the union Of
subjects under a king: /. IL the union
"t citizens in a republic. We are a NO.
ciety of free men. We do not wish to
obey. but rather TO c~ollaborate. and in
the army. as in civil life. our discipline
is not imposed hu, rather consented to.
Thus. our Parliament. suspended
for u time in 1914. has again met,
d~elIbcratcl. discussed, since the begin
ming of 1915. One has heard there
speeches OF opposition. one could even
read them, despite the censor. in Ger.
tain newspapers. above all in Clemen.
Gears L'Homm- Enchdin~. Deputy
~Accainbray. u former officer in the
army. "A man uf strong will ana in.
, tellia.ncc. has been the most vehemen,
! opponent Of the Government. Til.
opposition has ON several occasion.
-. brought abou: important changes il
the personnel If the Government. Sc
q, that it has been possible for foreign
crs To believe that The French hal
-, fallen back into their old disorder.
o and that famous sacred concord wa:
broken.
This belief has he"n held especial,
. Icy the Germans. whose Childlike prid'
- makes them poor observers. In realit,
i these manifestations Of par!iamen,ar!
opposition were only the effects o
the sacred concord considered as al
active union With tho exception 0
~ the case Of a few base minds, sucl
as are found in all large assemble
n of men. the parliamentary struggle
q has been II of patriotism. What tn
opposition sought each time was
II more energetic. more active and NOR
4 der TO fight the enemy better.
n it Was for this reason that tn
.e Niviani ministry had to yield place I
the BRAND ministry. 1t was for thi
% reason that NJ. Millerand was replace