Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-12-18


dead win be welcomed a. tribute 70
Hose who have made their country's hiEn
Arm
'of course. certain opposition 20 the ldes
VIII develop There Il always such IN a
certain quantity 90 any dea. and narticu'
larly an idea that seems startling In ieEiss
latioH I expect a. But I shall FIRST aps
peal 70 the voice and support OF three
powerful Influences 90 whom all France
is profoundly gratefui. I do not mean 20
infer general gratitude toward these In
tuences will become lsss profound - time
goes on, II will only he less a part %
the daily fare % our legislators and pso-
pie AZ the wsrtrseedcs into the past.
To PREPARE PETITION
The views upon suffrage FOR the dead
u the living soldier of tho women Of
France and the numhcrless French fam
lies IN mourning must be tested now rs
one would feel = pulse. To that end am
lnstitutlnE petition which will be ready
for signatures presently at the Patriotic
League In the Rue Sainte-Anns. Paris
II feel Il viii become a inonstrous pc
tl;pn In very Ghort time Fortified with
u and with certain assured legislative sup
port | shall IN due course present Suffrage
for the dead IN tho form of proposed
law IN the Chamber OF Deputies, the petit
ton first. Of course II involves ali I have
NNAhHNh W YOU WIN ttlt aANlNa4n tNAA "
is not plea for or entering wedge toward
general suffrage for women For y gen
eral consideration of this question the time
ls not ripe iA the broad sense In France.
II propose as q debt of gratitude 10 the
noble dead who uncofiiued Tie by hundreds
ot thousands under the SOL they have de-
Tended that they should st.li live in the
extension Of their votes 10 their women
Kind. II is a Just and true proposal. all
The more ~ because n large part OF the
glorious courage OF our soldiers is theirs
through directly Inherited or inspired eour-
age and abnegation or tho women OF
France
For all classes aud all opinions in tho
nation rushed equally with fcrvur 60 her
defense. No all these classes and opinions
should IN their existing numerical proper.
tiun OF August, 1914, continue to live, not
entirely bCcume memories hut rather tan
gibly evident through their beloved women
In the direction of the business OF the re-
public they died for
NJ. Barres nrst broached tho idea about
the CroiS lie Gerre IN newspaper article
published In Paris November 81. 1914. and
saw II become law IN February. 1915.
aided to this end by his cloquence and
efforts The Croix de Guerre ls worn today,
a simple medal OF bronze suspended from
band OF red and green Striped ribbon, by
many n valiant, soldier who could never
order OF the day issued by the supreme
General commanding the armies Of France.
THE vALoR or FRANCE
II truly renresents the vRlor OF France
as sxempifed nt the Marne. at Verdun. on
the Somme and In thousand minor con-
flicts, As onlcial and public recognition
and tribute 10 the brave men without dis
tinction Of caste or rank who have blocked
the German path with their bodies, tho
CroiN de Guerre will live as long 40 time.
Maurice Barres r. in middle life, lean
man OF normal height His black hair and
moustachs are sparse and his gray eyes set
far apart as those OF the thinker His
voice In firm and OF rare quality. Chosen
words flow from his lips In fluent facility OF
cultured expression.
AH rose 10 leave and Mr.. Barres es.
corted me 10 the door leading TO his gar
den and the street he said earnestly!
Think and you Will see that suffrage
for the dead IL but rendering simple ius-
ticc toward the women who bravely sent
them forth to fan"