The Northwest worker. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1915-1917, 1917-03-22
EUROPE LONGING
FOR PEACE; WAR
COSTS TOO HIGH
An Uncensored Statement by q
French Socialist Reveals
Concealed Facts.


The New York Call was brought TO
America by underground means and
neither the name of the author or the
method by which it was obtained can
be made public.
BY "A FRENCH SOCIALIST"
BRAND, Lloyd George and others
recognize the seriousness of the mill
tary situation. The changes of govern
ment in England and France are man
ifestations of general discomfort at the
failure of military operations.
Military blunders have been mount
ing for two and one-half years. Every
one in France is now anti-militarist.
Peasants, clerks, workmen, Parisians,
Bretons, soldiers from the invaded re-
gions, men from central and southern
France-all.
In France 9S per cent of the sol
diers and civilians want peace-a
lasting peace. From 25 to 80 per
cent want peace at any price, upon
any terms, or no terms. Every one
is sick of the whole thing.
1t will astonish me if there is no
revolt at the front if the army is
forced to spend the winter of 1917
IS in the trenches.
There are no volunteers for the
gaps in the firing line There are nu-
merous deserters and insubordinate
soldiers, not a few of them being men
previously decorated with the Croix
de Guerre for heroism under fire.
Send Them Back to Front
Such deserters are no longer shot,
for the authorities are afraid. Meth
er are there court -martials for such
offenses, insubordinates being merely
sent back to the front.
The gendarmes are loathed and are
not infrequently killed by hanging.
The matter is hushed up. Men ex-
posed to the conditions that obtain
at the front laugh at the death pen
atty.
In my opinion, peace must be made
soon. The Socialist congress was OBJ
sessed by the idea of peace. France
is terrified with the extent of it's
losses-1 100000 dead and missing
the missing" are mostly dead.
There are from 100000 to 100000
men suffering from major mutila-
lions. Rennes is like fifteenth GEN.
fury cour des miracles. Nothing but
one-legged and one-armed men, SOL
diers, blind in one eye or in both, with
CHASTITY face wounds, etc.
BRAND Knows Facts
BRAND is well aware of Socialist
feeling, and since his government can
retain power only through Socialist
support the premier does his best to
be conciliatory. BRAND wanted a
unanimous motion from the chamber
on President Wilson's note, desiring
to rely on public opinion favorable to
Wilson. To a number of Socialist
N%PNCiSo ID ldIIu SdlQ.
"At the first serious overtures for
peace l shall fling myself on them as
misery has now flung itself on our
distraught world"
The French press was against Will
son at first, but Briant summoned the
principal editors and begged them to
take line favorable to the president.
1t is certain that when peace comes
Wilson will be the arbiter. Hence will
follow disarmament. There will be
no attempt to crush defeated bellig-
erent. The formation Of small towns
and localities will be encouraged. It
will be triumph of democracy.
The i'll feeling in France about the
agreement to give Russia CONSTANT
nople was widespread and deep. Rus
STA may be offered Alexandretta in
exchange.
The spring push will be made in
the direction of Syria, an attempt to
break the German thrust toward Bag
dad Egypt has fully 100000 Eng
lish soldiers; with Russians on the
other side, the Turks will be between
two fires.
There will be no great movement
on the western front. France is sim
ply incapable of an offensive on a
grand scale, being worn out and in
state of complete nervous exhaus-
ton.
What does it matter of the Germans
get nearer to Odessa? 1t would be a
good thing for democracy. Russia,
when peace comes, would be com
PEELED to adopt a western political
system, to initiate France, England
and the United States.
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