Evening star., 1916-01-02
ALLIES ECH0|NG
PO|NCARE SLOGAN,
VICTORY IN 1916"
Entente Powers Thoroughly
Optimistic as to Their Final
Success in Present War.
PRESIDENT OF FRANCE
PRAISES HIS SOLDIERS
Sees Dishonor, Ruin and Servitude
in Any Peace of Sus-
picious Form.
CONFIDENCE IN ENGLAND
Efforts Will Not Be Checked Until
Maximum of Power Is Reached,
Says Sir Edward
Carson.
PRESIDENT OF FRANCE
PRAISES HIS SOLDIERS
CONFIDENCE IN ENGLAND

PARIS. January l. The
slogan sounded by President
Poincare in his message of thanks
to the brave troops of France
Nineteen sixteen will be our
year of victory being borne
on the lips of all allied nations to-
day From highest officialdom to
the lowliest peasantry there is
serenest optimism. Despite Ger
man successes and apparent Teu
ton ascendancy on practically
every battlefront in the months
marking the life of the present
great struggle, the allies today
are more confident than ever.
President Poincare's address,
which has just been made public,
probably is the most accurate re-
flection of the sentiment prevail
ing not only in France, but Eng
land, Russia and Italy, of any yet
issued.
Sentiment Determined.
Like you my noble friends, l have
read with emotion in the army bulletin
| messages addressed to you on the eve
of the new year by the mayors of our
large cities" says President Poincare.
The same language is used by all
these French cities. and 1t is easy to-
day to draw from these numerous ex-
pressions the unanimous sentiment of
the country.
Everywhere you have seen main
| tanned without effort this sacred union
spontaneously established seventeen
months ago under the menace of the
enemy. Why would not the civil popu-
| lation follow the example of the agree
ment and harmony which you give IT?
| In the trenches and on the battlefields
| you hardly think Of considering your
| not disturb the fraternity of arms.
which with it's common perils and iden-
| tical duties binds one and all. You
/ have your eyes fixed on an ideal which
constantly diverts your attention from
| secondary objects. and you know that
| your patriotic mission cannot be per-
! formed by others.
while you are thus sacrificing
| everything to the salvation of the ma
| tion is 1t not natural that those
/ Frenehmen. whose age. health or duties
| prevent them from meeting at your
side the fatigue and perils of war.
! should at least repel harmful suggestions
of hatred and conserve jealousy the pub
! lie peace?
Interests Kept in Mind.
The mayors of France have spoken
! of some of the charities resulting
! from the successful joining of hearts.
| Most of these institutions are des-
! tined to aid you. your aged parents.
/ YOUR children, your wounded or i'm
| prIsoned brothers. In cities farthest
from the front your condition thus re-
mains constantly present in all minds
| and concentrates, as is well in view of
| the tragic realities of the time, the
| thoughts of those who might be IN
! clined to forget.
| .The mornins which has darkened
the home of so many families. more
over imposes on those who have been
less severely afflicted the pious obliga-
! tion of meditation and gravity All the
| French people feel the same affiiction,
and there is not one who does not lis
ten with respect to the stern lesson OF
the day-a lesson of courage. of pa
thence. of will. of calm. of confidence
and of serenity"
Resolution to Vanquish.
Everywhere it is the same-a de-
termined resolution 10 hold fast. to
endure and to vanquish. Every one
knows the stakes of the war are great,
and that the outcome concerns not
only our dignity but our life. Shall
we tomorrow be the vassals of a for
leign empir22 Shall our Industries, our
commerce. our agriculture. be placed
forever under the influence of power
which openly fatters itself on aspir
ing to universal domination. or shall
we safeguard our economic independ :
lence and national autonomy? This is
a terrible problem. which admits of no
helfway solution.
Any peace which came to us with
suspicious form and equivocal purpose
would bring us only dishonor. ruin and
servitude. The free and pure genius
of our race. our most venerated tradi-
tons the ideas which are dearest to
u.s. the interests of our citizens, the
fortunes of our country, the soul OF the
nation. everything which has been left
by our ancestors and all that we our
selves own would be the prey of Ger
manic brutality.
Must Garry on War.
Who, then. would. by impatience or
lassitude. thus sell to Germany the past
and future of France? Yes. certainly
the war is long. 1t is rigorous and 1t
is bloody. but how much future suf-
fering are we spared by our present
No mar iror