Evening star., 1922-11-23
The Myth of French Militarism


ish bellicose dreams eight years ago.
AS for France in 1914. she had no
heavy artillery. The German Of
fensive through Belgium left US help,
less, overrunning US at Charlero1 and
causing us to yield an eighth OF our
proved Of no use whatever. methods
Of combat which utterly failed to
meet the tactics of our adversary or
the engines Of war employed against
US. A cruel history. especially when
the cause is one day inquired into.
That's how France dreamed OF war
and prepared for it!
The Germany which we had known
in peace we recognized again In war
brutal, cynical. inhuman. scorning
all laws and pledges. burning those
old centers of art which conferred
and beauty. sinking merchant YES
sells and hospital ships. shooting
nursing sisters. bombarding the fort
resses" of Paris and London. killing
for the pleasure of killing. massa-
cring. destroying for the joy Of de-
planet a measure of it's life and hap
piness.
Work OF the vandal.
The Cathedral Of Rheims burned
and mined: Louvain. Ypres, Tremonde
!! sacked and reduced to cinders: st.
Gervais of Paris bombarded and COL
lapsing upon women and children in
prayer on the Day Of Death (Good
Friday)-thus was the German war,
without respite, without pity. Why!
Because Germany had another desire
besides that of emerging from the
combat with life and honor. She
wanted to make a clean sweep around
her. The day had dawned Of all
for all. 1t was not only necessary
to conquer, but to kill, destroy ano
raZe the earth; as in the time OF
the great Germanic invasfons oe-
signed to install a Teuton domination
on the ruins of a "deSenerate' nu-
manity.
We replied to this Enchanting OF
fury with a peace Of justice and OF
reparation. of moderation and reason
such as the world had never known:
No war indemnity. mo aean'ai,aoh IN
French territory of the two dismem-
bered provinces. reparation for dam
age done, the taking OF guarantees
permitting us to check the execution
of the promises which Germany nao
made, the disarmament OF germany.
That is all France desired to obtain
from the terrible war that had peen
inf1icted upon her. Better still. by
the peace Of Versailles. France and
her allies desired to inaugurate a
new order for the settlement OF
by this double principle: Repara-
ton for wrong done. impossibility
OF q new war"
Still In Grip OF War.
Unfortunately. the ills of a war like
that of 1s14-191S are repaired but
with dificulty. Even given the en-
tire good faith OF the conquered. II
the latter by conscientious labor
genuinely desired to help the world
out of It's sanguinary nightmare and
back to q normal life, that world
would none the less remain FOR a
long time hopelessly adrift and at sea-
loneation Of a war which is not even
likely to approach conclusion un-
less there is a new orientation OF
peace time energy. Finances up
side down. budN,ts artihcialiy me..
Tasef .se Of nouna aad kvns tn the doaT
a terribly distorted fduciary circu.
lation, an ever increasing cost of
living. strikes. rapid changes in the
stock markets. making commerce
ana Industry LmpoSSiuie, ooouH
lation OF stocks-such is the ransom
Of those four years Of war. 1t was
materially impossible that either
for conqueror or conquered aught
else should result from this world
catastrophe than complete chaos for
Grated for hfty-two months to-
work Of death and destruction FOR
the world to be re- established on the
morrow of peace; Such rapidly re-
acquired equilibrium is beyond the
bounds OF human practicabiltty.
World Solidarity Needed.
But it was earnestly to be desired
| both for the honor and salvation Of
humanity-that, associated in war.
nations should have remained as SOL
treaty Of peace as they had been in
| the conflict which procured it. For
a people can die as easily from peace
as from war. War and peace pro-
ceed at bottom from one and the
| same human impulse; the incessant
| struggle for existence and well be-
ing. For that, it would have been
necessary that the conditions the
methods of solidarity imposed by
tho war. should have continued in
peace and that, the last gun fired.
people should not have restricted
themselves to the keeping of an
emotional memory of suffering en-
dured in common.
There is not only war" There Is
not only peace" There are great
peoples who should march shoulder
! to shoulder toward human realization
of the ideal. today, tomorrow, always.
though the road will be long and
rough, leading toward hazardous ends
and though unknown ways. Instead
of that and despite Frances efforts
to prevent it we saw each one retake
his liberty of action. No longer was
there the solidarity Of one great body