Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1916-01-21

edre or belief He who was altogetA9
such q one as ourselves goes forward
simply and even lightly to heignu We
thought unattainabie. Though be Il tne
very same comrade that lived our small
life with us, yet In all things he has BE-
come great
More Than Contempt Of Death
So il is with France today. She has
discovered the measure OF her SOUL
One sees this not alone In tne-n u
more than contempt Of deatb-in the
godlike preoccupation Of her people un-
der arms which makes them put death
ont of the account. but In the equal
passion and fervor with which her PEG
Die throughout give themselves to the
smallest as well as the greatest tasks
that may In any way serve their SWORD
| might tell you something that
saw Of the cleaning out OF certain
sewers, of the education and antece-
dents Of the cleaners. what they said IN
the matter and how perfectly the work
was done. There was little Rabelais
ip II, naturally, but the rest was pure
devotion and rejoicing TO be OF use
Similarly with stables. barbados and
barbed wire work. the clearing and
piling away Of wrecked house rubbish.
the serving Of meals TIL the service
rocks on its poor tired feet but keeps
its temper and all the unlovely monet
onous details that 60 with war.
The women. a. have tried to show.
work stride for stride with the men,
with hearts as resoiute and q spirit
that has little mercy for shortcomings.
A woman takes her place wherever she
can relieve a man-in the shop. at the
posts. on tramways. In hotels and
thousand other businesses. She Is In
ured to feld work. and half the harvest
Of France this year lies in her lap. Ono
feels at every turn how her men trust
her. She knows. for she shares every
thing with her world. what has he
fallen her sisters who are now in Ger
man hands. and her soul is the INDY
ing fame behind the mems steel
Neither men nor women have any
illusion as TO miracles presently to be
performed which shall sweep out" or
drive back the bocbe. Since the
army is the nation they know much,
though they are officially told little
They all recognize that the old fash
toned victory of the past Is almost ~
obsolete as rife In front line
trench. They all accept the new war.
which means grinding down and wear
ing out the enemy by every means.
plan and device that can be compass
ed. 1t Is slow and expensive. but -
deadly sure as the logic that leads
them to make 1t their one work. their
sole thought. their single preoccupa-
don.
French Not Squeamish.
The same logic saves them q vast
amount Of energy. They knew Ger
many In 20. when the world would
not believe in their knowledge. They
knew the German mind before the
war. They know what she has dorc.
They have photographs during this
war. They do not fall into spasrns
Of horror and Indignation over al,
ties that cannot be mentioned" NJ
the English papers say. They mention
them In full and book them to account
They do not discuss nor consider nor
waste an emotion over anything that
Germany says. boasts. argues. implies,
intrigues after. They have the hearts
ease that comes from all being at work
for their country. the knowledge that
the burden Of work Is equally dis
tributed among all. the certainty that
the women are working side by side
with the men, the assurance that when
one mans task is at the moment end-
ed another takes his place.
Out Of these things Is born their
power Of recuperation in their leisure,
their reasoned calm while at work and
their superb confidence in their arms.
Even If the France of today stood
alone against the worlds enemy 1t
would be almost uncomfortable to
imagine her defeat now-whoily so to
imagine any surrender. The war will
go on till. the enemy Is finished The
French do not know when that hour
will come They seldom speak Of 1t.
They do not amuse themselves with
dreams of triumphs or terms. Their
business is war. and they dc their bust.
ness.