Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-01-28

rial upset in England. France proceed
ed also to put her
Change of Army cabinet in order. but
the operation at
ton for many reasons. not the least OF
which was the censorship which with
held the details. The Daily Telegraph,
commenting thereon in connection with
the British cabinet changes, says:
"The essential difference between our
change of regime and that Of France
is that the latter is accompanied by
modification of exceptional Importance
whose principle is the change in the
functions of the French generalissimo.
"Joffre will remain for Europe the
savior of the alliance on the occidental
front. and the glory of the victory OF
the Marine will shed splendor on his
name across centuries. 1t is quite pos
sible that history may give the battle
Of the Marine as the decisive victory In
the actual war"
Gen. Nivelle is, like his predecessor,
the supreme type of the scientific tacti-
clan of the highest order, inspiring
confidence in those he commands and
in full possession of all his forces. The
entire British nation turns with hope
and confidence toward this soldier, who
incarnates international sentiment
which has never been greater than at
this moment.
The BRAND cabinet reconstructed ap-
peared before the chamber on Decem-
Der IA. 1t was expected that the recep-
ton would be rude and difficult. but all
the same the cabinet triumphed and
obtained a vote Of confidence of 314 to 165.
The impression of the first encounter
between the chamber and the recon-
structed cabinet with its faults Gas
charged by its enemies) of omissions.
errors of judgment, negligence and
carelessness was developed with vigor
and oratorical effect by NM. Tar
dieu. Violletta and de MouZie.
NJ. BRAND, president of the council,
declared his intentions. First of all
he proposed to attack the question of
alcohol. The war committee which had
been placed over the cabinet should act
by virtue of DEGREES. NJ. BRAND de-
Tended the new arm: it was rapid and
would render excellent service. He
asked for necessary authority to act
by DEGREES in all questions touching
national defense. We shall see how
the arm was made to react against the
inventor In the superior command
ment of the army there were too many
wheels. too much ma chinery, too much
red tape. The ancient system. What
was true of the war administration
was also true of the economical. That
which the chamber demands. of the
government, of the commandant, Of
the administration, it should impose on
itself by an interior discipline decreed
and observed.
The morning after the session of the
chamber at which it voted the order
of the day Of the 346
Generally the entire press of the
Approved. eoucuryes 'T Tha ebam,
Der, press and people begged NJ. BRAND
to carry out the mandate which had
been confided to him. namely, ito SIM
plify air the political organs of gov
eminent, military and administrative.
engaged in the national defense in or
der to obtain prompt and rapid serv-
ice" In the matter of mobilization, of
the dispersion of control between SO
many rival services, all these bureaus
charged with authority either Of de-
tense or subsistence have revealed
slackness, clumsiness and unhappily
their incapacity to accelerate their
pace. One Knocked and criticised bu-
reaucracy in times of peace: in place Of
laughing 1t would have been better to
reform it, for it has shown its capacity
This is the argument of NJ. Clemen-
ceau: ''One is not betrayed by trail
TORS he says. 'One is betrayed by
very honest people. Yes. by honest peo-
pie, good national guardsmen, good
fathers of family who believe sincerely
they have fulfilled all their duty when
they have classed dossier. stopped an
initiative, overwhelmed or discouraged a
just and meritorious idea under the
weight of regulations etc. These are
all the more redoubtabie that one is i'm
pressed by their solemn zeal!"
The new cabinet would abolish this
class of traitors" NJ. BRAND had been
given undisputed mandate to do away
with them quickly. France has always
been handicapped-it is no secret. and
what government has notify BUREAU
cracy and especially since the mobiliZa-
ton. Now they. the bureaucrats, have
employed a gag to creative intelligence
and the native righteousness of the
country-a country of extraordinary re-
sources Bureaucracy existed in time Of
peace: it exists in time of war. The
censorship over military and diplomatic
information should be wisely and pru-
IDENTIFY controlled.
The chamber voted "to concentrate
under a diminished number the general
conduct of the war and
Portfolios the economical orsanlaa-
ton of the country" This
heouceu. meant the reconstruction
of the ministry on a new basis and with
fewer members that is to say. a cabi-
net of twenty-three portfolios would be
reduced to ten.
NJ. Paul Deschanel. in a recent ad-
dress before the Institut de France, in
vited attention to the question OF war.
which had absorbed public interest IN
Germany, while France had been chlef-
ly absorbed in the question OF peace
M. Deschanel found that 700 volumes
had been published annually by Ger
man editors solely on the subject OF
war What enthusiasm, what intensive
culture such figures reveal! France, IN
this interval, was discussing Elusive
peace questions, mixed with the puer-
lie. vet vexatious, questions of labor
associations, the c. G.. T. "sablonnages"
and "boycottages," with other tricks
and devices which weakened rather
than strengthened government. the
question Of preparedness for war was
seldom or never discussed.
Finally, NJ. Aristide BRAND presented
himself before parliament and an
nounced that he had conformed to the
mandate given him in the vote of the
chamber of the 9TH instant, that is to
say: "Reorganize the high commands
of the army" Gen. Joffre would leave