New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-25
The Simplicity of
HerOism
Bv Rene Benjamin
sslated. ,cith Introductory Com
rent. by W. /. Mcpherson

:. c,otbcr OF those admirable stories Of
D.. ;r,,in. This tCrIter has singular
"t ,.,,. and originality of touch. Never hack
'. "a or conventional he goes at once to the
~ - situation or an incident. More sue
'~' IN, ,erhaps. than any other author in
't.'b =, has caught the true spirit Of the tOar
'', ,.t ,be men tcho are fighting 1t. He secs
~, from soithin as 'ceH as from 'oithout-
,,bicb can be accomplished By no one
-, ot the same time a poet and a reGIist.
"a, simplicity Of heroisn' is one of N. Benja-
.. t,,,o,lte topics. II is one Of the great out
.. , truths Of this '0ar-0nd Of ere'y '0dr.
:. GAS At a first aid post at C, on quiet
genng
,u.s saving To the major What is espe-
81. admirable in our men is the simplicity
- which they bear themselves-with which
t.,s death. People tell them that they
,sroes They shrug their shoulders. That
Il has been hackneyed by too much legend
hosstine. II repels to-day these simple
II. whose resignation is so transformations.
~ then, in the heat of action. No words
y, saect, no prepared gestures. They do what
- have 70 do, as they are told to do il, and
- 4, necessary. because in these times TO
\. that is only an incident of life. Almost
I .lv,vs they are simple, very simple"
rbs major listened to me without answering.
pressed him.
q, that not your opinion-your real opin-
-, And YOU see them at such close quarters,
-. .hs moment of their worst suffering, when a
=, thinks less than ever of assuming an
attude."
He replied:
81 follow YOU and ] believe you. But per-
.,,,Iv what do know? l am very badly stu
,.S n know. A wounded man arrives. / am
hurry 10 examine him. AS to what he
links l am too busy TO concern myself. for
:. all about the man and his morale. How
s,vs the time? must try to save him. To
,.srest myself specially in one is to neglect an
ssr The war may last thirty years, my
i-srd. ! shall have seen stomachs torn open,
,,.ns laid bare and limbs smashed to jelly.
ut shall know nothing, absolutely nothing.
Z our Frenchmen. ! bend over them. But /
ave no reaction. Still less have l any leisure.
M when have any, there is no one here TO
indy. While l dine l run over one or two
,rsDspers which my wife sends me, and |
rad in them brilliant stories Of the war writ
IN by journalists. who. without doubt, are safe
e. home. but in whom have every confidence
ecause they satisfy my old belief that the sol
tsr Of our country always has a plume in his
.snst"
tossed my head and he continued:
I notice your air. In your opinion, am at
The stage Of the History of France, Illustrated
for Children Ny dear sir, am naive, like so
many men are who are entirely absorbed in
action"
But" said, "at least you hear them talk
Jour wounded"
They pass out Of sight. 1 forget"
And your hospital attendants. They remain
nth you. Learn from them human simplicity"
"0h, yes, on that point read"-
But it isn't necessary to read. An that is
ilbrcated at the rear Or, if you must read,
ou ought to read Vigny. The page where
YEy, in 'Servitude and Grandeur describes
tie terrible explosion of the donjon of Vim
srnes. Suddenly, in a courtyard, against
val, he finds head separated from body
i Is that Of an adjutant, who, for sixty pages
more, has been the hero of the story. AT
iit coup de theatre the reader gives a shud-
's. But Vigny adds TRANQUILITY: AT that mo-
/ asit young soldier, fresh, rosy-cheeked
a'id, bent down 10 take from the smoke
'Ained trunk a black silk cravat.'"
That is still good story" said the major.
Look, my dear man." continued, Eat the
neral sermon-human and admirable-whlch
shear every day. Over against death there
always lfe which, without fear or worry,
a1aaues lis normal, habitual routine. Listen!
'ecsl our first man killed-in August, 1914.
. IS always terrible, you know-the first.
Ter the tenth the emotion subsidies. But the
" one 70 be victim as they say-the first
'''n ali the others see fall-one can never
'a'e that souvenir out Of his memory"
Very well The first victim in my regiment
>" struck at the entrance 10 village which
attacked and captured Very easily, too;
f The Germans were 50 afraid to defend II
IA they evacuated it. Toward evening we
eeapled it. But in d few hours an order came
retire. We were relieved. Chasseurs re-
.a'sd us-or rather they we're TO replace US
any case, we had formal order to with
'ss a, once.
/ Twas necessary that the Boches, who were
'y two hundred metres mot further) away
,n "a, should not suspect our departure. A