The Dominion. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1917. FRANCE AND AMERICA

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 38, 8 November 1917, Page 4

The Dominion. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1917. FRANCE AND AMERICA

Much of tho recent agitation in Jf , ranee has centred upon a demand lor tho firm repression of insidious conspiracies, the authors of which aim at undermining the resolution of the nation and paralysing its energies. It is now recognised that successive- Governments went to unwise lengths in the policy of toleration which was regarded as part and parcel of the idea of the Sacre-i union. M. Malvy, Minister of tho interior in the Itibot Cabinet, was driven from office as a, persistent defender of the policy of letting tho sleeping dogs of anarchy lie. His critics pointed out that although this policy doubtless produced excellent fruits at the beginning of tho war it was lamentably out of place at a later period. The 8010 affair and its attendant revelations gave forco_ to this contention, and it is certain that whatever Government henceforth holds office in Franco wilHeel tho necessity of taking all possible precautions against internal conspiracy, even at tho sacrifice of perfect political unity. Tho're is probably no longer any danger of toleration being carried to tho length of affording facilities for enemy intrigue. But the. developments which have reached this point have thrown some light also upon larger questions concerning the standing of France as a belligerent, and the spirit of her people. In the discussions arising out of the 8010 affair various referoncoß have been made to a, "moral crisis" through which the French nation has passed this year. "Undoubtedly," as one writer remarked recently, "the French nation since last spring has passed through one of the periodical waves of despondency which none of the belligerents has esca-ped." Various reasons wore held accountable. The French offensive in tho spring was successful to a point, hut its results fell far short of expectations. Further reasons for depression appeared in unfavourable orop prospects and acute problems of food supply; and labour restlessness and a longing for peapo received an impetus from events in Russia. It is not suggested that there was any weakening on tho part of the great majority of the nation or tho Government. In every statement on war aims M. Ribot voiced the determination of the nation to fight on until victory had been won, and M. Painleve also has firmly repudiated any suggestion of weakening or compromise. But thero is no doubt that during tho summers certain war-weariness arose in France, and that its development would have been dangerous to Franco and to the Entente. Convincing evidence has of late been afforded, in events on tho Westcm battlefront, and in other ways, that the French nation lias emerged from this condition and regained its normal attitude of confident determination. Many factors bayo contributed to this recovery. With improved political efficiency internal agitation has subsided. Though the Socialists have declined representation in the Government they aro abstaining from obstruction._ Only four votes were cast in opposition to the last war Budget. Food problems aro cased also as a result of a_ much better harvest than was anticipated in tho early part of the year. But the most important factor of all tending to restore the hopeful spirit in France which is essential to a continuation of her gallant efforts is probably the increasing co-operation of the United States. A general idea of the extent to which American aid is already _ making itself felt in France was given a, few weeks ago by the New York Evening Post. It is utterly wrong, it observes, to say that tho help rendered by tho United States to France cannot mako itself felt until a good-sized American army is ready to go into tho trenches next spring. Wo aro (it continues) helping already; the moral stimulus of tho presence of American troops on French soil and of a gathering American host for tho final campaign of tho war cannot bo overestimated. Wo have helped in more material ways—with money, eupplies, tho efforts of our technical contingents, and tho widening reconstruction labours of the Bed Cross. The presence of our actual lighting men is more than a promise. It is a factor which the French Government must already; bo taking into consideration in formulating its national mobilisation plans for tho coming yenr. Specifically, the drain on the s,orely tried man-power of Franco has beon relaxed. So many tens of thousands of American troops in training for next year's campaign mean eo muoh decreased immediate pressure on French recruitment, bo much respite for the oidor troops, which can now be spared in greater numbers for work in tho fields and tho factories. Every Frenchman that wo replace or promise to replace in the trenches means a reduction in (lie needs of the country and an addition to its productive powers. It is a fact to be faced that at the time when. American aid first began to mako itself felfc France had been tried almost to the limits of endurance. Some of the stories told in tho early part of this year about tho depletion of her reserves wero exaggerated, but the whole nation was labouring under a tremendous strain. In easing this strain and in preparing to afford even greater relief to France in the near future, tho United States is rendering a service to the Allies which enables* them to face tho future with assured confidence, whatever the further duration of the war is destined to be. Some doubts have arisen as to tho possibility of forcing a speedy decision even with such an enormous aggregation of force as the Allies will command in the Western theatre next year. Tho Paris Journal recently went so far as to contend that the conception of piercing tho enemy front must be abandoned. For (it observes) to obtain immediately and fully tho whole -useful effect of a piercing of tho front, it would logically 1)0 necessary to be ablo_ to re-establish behind Hie troops operating this "break through" the lines of railway and tho commissaTy cssentialto maintain the offensive power of their artillery. , . . Let us no longer, then, dream of impossible, glorious dashes. Success cannot come except by hammering iiidefatigably nt the German armour, making it bend, yield, go back under the incessant pressure of tho guns. Theso are contentions, perhaps, not yet fully tested (lato events in Italy are in a of respects inconclusive as indicating the possibilities of effectively breaching a hostile battlufront), but it is certainly an open possibility that the final phaso ot the war may be grim and long drawn out. If this is the prospect ahead, the Allies aro certainly vastly better placed to faco it than Die enemy. The critical point was passed from the Allied point of view when America and Franco effectively joined hands. The essence of tho

mailer is Ibafc France has already boon sensibly relieved, and Unit however long the struggle may continue- it will be possible for the Allies lo progressively expand tjieir efforts while taking over l-om France a portion of her present burdens which she- can no longer iio expected to carry. Under these conditions France unquestionably will play a brilliant and heroic part to the end.