The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-03-11

hammer and beat the iron."-Marcei
Provost.
(From it's exclusive news source IN
Paris, the International News service
has received the following tribute "
the women of France by Marcel Pre-
vost member of the French acade-
my and one of the greatest modern
authors of France, who Is now serv-
ing with the French armies at the
'front.':
BY MARCEL PROVOST.
Copyright, 1917. by the international
News Service.)
Before the coming of the great war.
how often have / not deplored IN
silence the fact that England land
in which l often lived, nation that
love and admire--should so little
understand the women of Francel
The untiring propaganda of Ger
many had succeeded in making the
English believe that the French peo-
pie were a frivolous and pleasure
loving race, without any national
IDEAL and quite ready to give up, Tor
the sake of ease and amusement, all
pretentions to be a dominating infiu-
ence in Europe.
Those people, and they were many,
who still felt some sympathy with
us, oven a sort OF affection. would
express 1t In the Multiplying tone in
which one speaks of man OF genius
who drinks, who takes cocaine. or Is
otherwise going TO the dogs.
Judgment Revised.
To bring her English neighbors to
revise this summary and unjust judg-
ment, France has already paid
heavy price In blood. toll and hero
ism, The revision has been prompt
and striking, and France Is proud OF
her success.
At last, the English people are
looking at things with their own
eyes instead OF through the deform-
ing glasses fashioned for them across
the Rhine The sight of the abnega-
ton, the tenacity, the courage the
spirit OF self-sacrifice displayed by the
soldiers of the third republic, has
conquered their hearts. and this fact
is not the least of the ethical points
of the war which is going on 10 modi-
" all the races of the earth.
For the future. the English VIII
understand the French. above all the
Frenchmen under arms the French
man at the front--next, as n conse-
quence, he will understand those who
remain behind and, by means of
labor and ingenuity which partake OF
the miraculous, manage to make good
our previous lack OF preparedness.
Real Justice Not Yet Done.
But | cannot quite convince myself
that the world as yet does real jus
tice to the mothers, wives and daugh-
tiers of the soldiers they so cordially
admire The current pretudices against
the F'renchwoman. prejudices which
the Germans worked so strenuously
TO keep up-I wonder IL they are
quite yet rid Of? don't feel sure.
know OF course, that al least in war
time the world no longer condemns
every Frenchwoman as a dressed up
doll. In short. wide skirts. lettering
along on cloven hoofs, wearing n ad
hat 81 a mad angfa, thinking OF moth
ing but smart clothes, restaurant teas
and music halls But cannot help
thinking that the immense help given
OK the women OF France 10 France
at war is not yet altogether appre
eiated
II you want to understand how
great proportion the Frenchweman
has contributed to the nations self
sacrifice. ask you to recall all that
YOU have read concerning the mater
nal passion which possessed the wo-
men OF France during the long years
of peace. without exaggcration, the
Frenchwoman has more OF the
mother In her than any OF the other
women OF Europe. With fewer chill
sren,as rule. she concentrates on
these a love which Is more intense.
The contrary Of many other Euro
pean women, abe is n better mother
than a wife. I don. say she liz right
n this---I simply state the fact
Mourns Unnumbered Losses.
need not remind you Of the num-
Der OF sons whom the women of
France mourn today-an infinitely
greater number than those lost to
England, And still death continues
10 take It's toll. and the mothers OF
France foresee no end to their an
Euish. Yet, ardent and exclusive ss
they are In their love for the son,
never once have We heard them utter
complaint or reproach for the fright
ful sacrifice asked OF their flesh and
blood
The mothers of France. you may
take It from ME. could have crippled
had they wished It, and might even
have broken down altogether the ma
tionai will to conquer. II Is their
.toicism which has rendered possible
the long drawn out defense. and
which will sustain II until the bar
barians are overthrow. In this lies
the powerful aid which the women of
France contribute to the liberation Of
the modern world.
In tender charity, the women OF all
the allied nations have surpassed
themselves. Far be II from me to
claim such virtue for the women OF
France alone, and l see nothing to
wonder at because they carry the
gift Of their sweet Eaiety and loving
patience to the bedside OF the wound
ed.
But what IL really noteworthy IL
that those who. before the war. were
the most devoted to dress and amuse-
ment, who appeared to think OF moth
Ing but bridge. tango teas and first
nights" flung themselves-the word
ID no whit too strong-into charita BILE
work with the same enthusiasm which
they showed yesterday for pleasure.
All Of these women--all. you under
stand--are anon gthe best of our hos
pital nurses: I would even go so far
as to say that these society women
are. Of all nurses, the best, For here
is Just a trait which belongs to the
finest French tradition The soul Of
charity and self-sacrifce does not
proclaim it's presence by outward
signs and protestations: on tho con-
trary. It loves to hide itself beneath