New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-02
The Marine, l914-l9l7

were within twenty miles Of the French
capital fighting over the fields between
Meaux and Senls. September ), 1914,
saw the first shots fired in the great battle
which, after the lapse of three years, re-
mains the overshadowing incident of the
World War.
Each year since that struggle its i'm
portance and its significance have in
creased in the minds of all mankind. Each
wear we have been able TO understand
little more clearly the extent to which we
are indebted to France for our permanent
deliverance from German barbarlsm. The
Continent of Europe is not to-day Ger
man possession because Of the Battle of
the Marine.
The ultimate defeat and destruction Of
I'll the German aspirations for world
power and world supremacy are inevitable,
because between Paris and Verdun in the
first and second weeks Of September, 1914,
the manhood of France stood and died in
the great battle of arrest-a battle such
as turned bacn Attila and his other Huns
north Of Chalons, battle of arrest such
AS halted the Saracens at Tours.
Already the battle has become legen-
Gary. Foch. Maunoury, Joffre himself. the
man who planned the battle his feutenants
won. although they still live, have come to
take on a character and quality suggest
ing the great figures of the Homeric
drama.
We know now, as we suspected three
years ago, that the Marine was one Of the
few decisive battles in human history. We
know now. as we felt then, that it was
struggle as important for mankind as
Marathon. All that we love and hold to
and believe in endures and Will endure
because Joffre there turned back one flood
Of barbarism as Miltiades had repulsed an
ether destructive invasion. Our world is
not to be Teutonic as it is not Oriental;
the memories of the Marine viii endure IN
human history as long as those of Mara
thon and the figure of Joffre be saluted
across the centuries as more and more
clearly successive generations perceive how
narrow was the escape of civilization and
how terrible was the Onrush Of German
savagery.
To-day one may go from Paris to Verdun
along the fields over which the battle was
fought. There are still trenches along the
hills at Barcy and Chambry. The crosses
marking the graves Of the soldiers who
died there make it still possible to articu-
late the charge One may still visit the
little cemetery along the road to Varennes
wherein Moroccan soldiers first won vie
tory and then found a tomb. One may
still stand midst the ruins at Sermaize or
wander through the tangled roads across
the marshes of St. Gond and find in that
obscure corner the nascent legend Of The
Miracle of the Marne.' For even to-day
the help of Divine Providence, could have
mastered that German storm and beaten
back that Teutonc flood.
On the third anniversary Of the Marine
the civilized world will salute the French
Republic and the French people, the gen.
erals who planned and the soldiers who
fought the greatest battle yet known to
history. They will salute the France
which in the early days Of September
1914, stood ready to die that liberty might
live, and, now that liberty has survived
the battle is still rendering yet other great
and enduring services TO democracy.
II is a proud thing for American citi-
zens to feel that to-day American soldiers
are in France; that America is about to
take over" from France some portion Of
the rampant that is the frount.er of civil
lied mankind in the world We shall feel
better able to-day to pay tribute to French
valor and French constsncy because we in
our turn have taken share of the burden
and will henceforward take on an increas
ing part Of the great task that remains to
be completed Our soldiers in France are
already familiar with the battlefield Of