Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-04-08
BY HAL T. sENDIx.

BY
NATE WE'RE told by many, including David Starr Jor-
NV dan, of the peace party that France was decad-
" ent That cannot be the opinion of Wilhelm Ii.
The greatest miracle of the is the failure of the Ger
to reach Paris Their failure due wholly to the
magnificent fight made by the French in defense of their
native land There is nothing "decadent" in the armies
that marrying the Germans out OF France The
French superior to their enemies in power and
gun power but their overwhelming superiority is to be
found in their passionate love for liberty and equality In
the early days of the last century the French armies, even
when led by Bonaparte were welcomed by the people
everywhere-even in Gemany-as the soldiers of liberty
So they are today.
The French engaged in a against the same old
enemy-the divine right of kings We not think of
Hohenzolern breathing the air of France Hapsburg In
Paris-eXcept a cu1Osity-is unthinkable, Having
freed itself of the Boubons, Orests and Bonapartists
France would make short work of the Hohenzoens and
Hapsburgs The influence of the American revolution
worked powerfully among the French people, and is still
operative. a.
Matthew Arnold long ago showed that there was more
equality in France than any other nation IN the world
and he also showed how great had been the cvzng in
fuence of that equality The most democratic army on
earth is that commanded by General Nivele. Even
the American republic has much to learn from her Euro
pean sister
victory of the HohenzoIlem despotism French
democracy, and the awakened people of Russia, would
the turning back perhaps for centuries of the clock
of civilization. Such thing must not be-" In the provi
dence of God it shall not be- The American people
not without treason to their IDEALS permit Europe
to become the OF the PrlSSlan drill SefgeantS
There must not be nation in the world in which such
infamous thing the Zaben incident can even be magn-
ed or dreamed Of
q /. =
One can hardly think without tears of Frances spen
did fight for her integrity and sovereignty. Her stead
ness persistence camness, dignity and serenity have
astonshed those who have been taught by their ordans
to believe that she "decadent There has been no
French propaganda in this cotrynO attempt whatever
to Influence public opinion. The French people have
fought their battle quite content to trust to the
dict of history No French spy has been arrested far
is known, i'll any neutral country.
Not for one moment have the American people way
cred i'll their love for France and their devotion to her
There Is nothing that the government could do for
the French people that would not win the immediate and
enthusiastic approval of the people Of the United States
The of Lafayette is still held in grateful
brance If it is true, Byron said that ''whO would be
Free themselves must strike the blow surely the people
of France entitled to all the blessings of liberty 1t is
for liberty that the French Striking The Amer
people understand this, and their hope is that their
government understands it, too We have all of been
quick to sprghtlness wit, beauty dash and daring in
the Gauaud courage OF the rash and daring type-but
steadiness, stability and grim determination
that the Brton might envy. In other words, the
French qualified to be the guardians of liberty both for
themselves and the world This they have proved and
again. and III such way to challenge the admir-
alton of all mankind
The sad preachers of French decadence will from
have very small audiences. Our sister republic has
proved herself and earned not only the admiration but
the support, of all lovers Of liberty One cannot believe
that the American republic will fail to discharge to the
full the debt which it to its sister republic beyond
To fail to do would to be guilty of treason not only
to France but to the great and divine of human lib
ery the world There ought to be great searchngs
OF heart on this side of the
81 ii q
Nothing is more important than that the men of our
day should learn to think of liberty not senti-
men but institutions indeed set of institutions
that guarantees to every the OF his faculties
for his development" Only there be any eff
cheney that is worthy of the Man is not machine
tool but SOUL We must be saved if saved at ALL not