The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-01-27
A Few Facts
About France
American Soldiers Look Upon
and Speak Of France as
Their Second Home.
Nevers. France. Jan. 6, 1919

Greeneville, Tenn.
Dear Sir;
As | am a Greene county lad, for
which ! am justly proud, and am a
former correspondent of The Sun /
have tired to collect few facts about
France that perhaps some Of the read
ers don't konw ! am sure that /
would have never known them if l
had not had this grand opportunity
of coming over on the mission that we
American boys came on.
have been in France only few
months, but / have learned many of
their customs and ways. | find them
splendid comrades. They can never
do too much for an american Sol
dat" Their appropriations for our
presence is displayed on every face
They seem to be totally wrapped
up with confidence in us.
When all is over and we sail back
to our native land. There will be nu-
merous stories told by the boys who
have so valiently fought in this, the
greatest war of all. / believe that
every soldier down in his heart is
really proud that he will be able to say
that he was a member of hte A. E. F.
feel assured that the boys who were
so unfortunate as to not have the
privilege of coming over have missed
a great deal.
/ will be graceful if you will pub
lish the enclosed.
Very respectfully,
JOHN H. KILDAY, Sgt. Maj,
Motor Supply Train No. 427, Amer
lean Post Office No. 708.
"A Few Facts About France"
Roughly, France has the shape Of
regular hexagon it is almost as com
pact as possible; size $4,000 50. xii.
(207,170 sp. miles,, and is divided
into SO Departments. Eeach Depart
ment is divided into "Arrondisse-
ments," and each of these again into
"Cantons." A Canton consists of sew
eral "Communes," totalling 1852 Ar
rondissements, 2,915 Cantons, and
36,295 Communes. The administra-
tive center of the Dept, Arrondts,
and Cantons is called Cheflieu.
Government, The government is
in the hands Of three powers, legisla-
tive, executive and judiciary. SIM
liar to our republic.
Population; The last census, which
was taken in 1911, gave a total Of
39,600,000. The density of the pop
pulation is therefore 73 per square
kilometer- but 73 is an average. The
density varies very much with eco
nomci resources; in the Nord Dept,
is is 800 per square kilo. Of course
the above figures are greatly reduced
after these four years of war.
History: The history of France is
outwardly one of endless wars and, is
divided into FIVE main periods. First,
Pre-Roman Gaul. They were racially
strong, politically weak It's certain
history covers 500 years, the last 100
years being transitional period (B.
G. 600-50). Second, Roman Gaul was
outwardly one, through common sub
mission to one discipline. This period
lasted 500 years, the last 100 being
transitional, (B. G. 50-A. D. 486) |
Thru. Frankish Gaul. This period |
again lasted 500 years, the last 100
of which were transitional (486.987 |
A. d. Fourth, Capetian France The
Capetian dynasty slowly evolved
monarchy from feudalism. This pc
Rod last 500 years, transitional pc
rioS of 100 years beginning about
1874 came to close in 1870, these
500 years (9S7-1798 fall into six d.
visions: LIST, Slow extension of the
kings possessions by Capetian meth
DDS; End, 100 years War; Bird, re-
sumption of Capetian policy; 4th
wars with Italy; 5th, wars of religion; /
9th, triumph Of absolute monarchy.
Fifth, Republican France visibly be-
gan on July ID, 1898, when the good
people of Paris" took the Bastille
Saint-Antoine, stronghold in which
the king could imprison any of his
subjects during the pleasure of his
majesty. Joan of Arc at Chinon
marks the enfranchisement of the
people from feudal rule; the taking
of the Bastille marks the enfarnchise-
ment of the people from monarchy.
Agricultural: France is mainly ag-
ricultural; 4S% of its population live