Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-12-23

Inc part tndt france played III tte
great war and the part that she Will
take in the Reconstruction period
was graphically described by Lieut..
Vincent de Wierzbicki. member If
the French High Commission, who
was the speaker before Augustus
Open Forum Sunday evening at the
UniveI salist church. 1t was indeed
a most successful meeting and the
large audience which filled the church
listened with great interest to the
address given by this remarkable
speaker. President G.. Walden Smith
of the Universalist Associates, pre-
sided over the second Forum.
At the opening of the meeting
prayer was offered by Rev. A. Fran
els Walch, pastor of the church. and
President Smith spoke briefly of the
inten, and purposes of the Forum
While the organist played the Mar
seiIlaise" and THE Star Spangied
Banner" the French and American
flags were brought to the front OF
the church by Eden Gray and Lewis
Carleton.
Lieut.. de WierZbicki was in the
battle of the Marine and served as
officia! interpreter for General HalS
at British headquarters. He spoke m
most fluent English and 1t was Il
stirring story he told his audience
and was received very enthusiastlca'-
ly. In opening his address. Lieut.. .de
Wierzbicki spoke Of the love that eN-
lists between the French and Amer
lean nations and stated that France
deserves all the Americans can give
her and is worthy of it all. He then
save many interesting figures which
had been compiled for the use OF ihe
lated States government by the
French government. showing the
French revenue before the war, the
large percentage of the agricultural
and industrial interests i'll Northern
interests in Northern France lhat
we're destroyed by the Germans III the
early part Of the war.
The Germans had destroyed ruthless
ly. They had changed riverbeds so they
would flood coal mines, and 1t Will pe
two wears of incessant labor before any
coal can be taken from those mines.
Factories had been destroyed so tina.
Of the country. And by their work OF
destruction the Germans showed tnelr
doctrine. that they must not only break
the wealth of the country and Kill and
wound the population, but that they
must do all in their power to break the
very soul CT the nation.
The manner in which the Germans
tried to break the soul of France was
by great atrocities inflicted on the wom-
en- and the men who were unable to
fight. their thought being that by these
deeds they would inspire fear of the
German armies so that the French
lighters would drop on their knees and
beg for mercy. But that was where the
Germans made their big mistake,
In destroying the agricultural inter-
ests in northern France the Germans
went as far as cutting down large or
chards of trees. The beauty of the ar
chtecture of that part OF the cou'hf!
was demolished, and in their work OIL
running the beautiful churches the Her-
mans had sinned against the Holy
Ghost, a sin that cannot be given.
IN the great war Frame had lost L.
500 OOo men who had been killed and
about the same number wounded and
made cripples. The casualties number
cd nearly 100000 and vet on Jan. l or
this year France had an army larger
than at any time since the mopiilZa-
ton. numbering about t,725,ooo men, not
counting the colonial troops or the spe-
cialiZed men.
The great problem of how France
faced the enormous war expenses
was explained by the speaker. the
war expenses on Jan. /. 1918, amount
cd to LOG, 500, 600 900 francs or about
so1 .oOO. 900, 900. England and the Unit
ed States loaned France $4,000 .ooo'oo'
francs hut the manner in Which
France secured the remainder of the
enormous sum was indeed miracle.
Tho loans were carried on i'll u quiet
manner. but the people subscribed
literally and about $1,000, 900, 900
francs or $4,000, 00o,0 600 was sub
scribed by the loans. If Americans
had subscribed to the Liberty Loans
in the same proportion it would have
meant 1888 per capita. almost every
kind Of commodity in France had
been taxed.
The speaker then gave figures
showing the great distances along
the French front held by the French
soldiers. Up 10 a few months ago
they held two-thirds of the great
front extending over 40 miles. He
told of the manner in which France
with so many of her industries des-
troyed inj proved her war industry by
producing vast quantities of shells
and large numbers of guns.
In closing. Lieut.. WierZbicki spoke
in glowing terms of the work done by
the other allied nations and pointed
out that as there had been unity be-
tween these nations during the war.
that unity must continue during
peace.
Following his talk the speaker ans
wered II. a most interesting manner
many questions regarding the war.
President Smith announced that
the speaker at the Forum next Sum
day evening will be Edwin ", Gulick.
for merIy a professor at Dartmouth
College and now director OF the For
UNI at Brookline. Mass. who will
speak upon the subject, "A League
of Peace Nations"
AUSTRO.HUNGARIAN