AMERICA AND FRANCE

Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 23, 26 January 1918, Page 4

AMERICA AND FRANCE

The presence in Franoe of troops of tho American Republic is a rude shock to the anti-compulsion theory that to fight does not become a national duty until one's country is invaded. The idea, that liberty is served only by fighting in one's own land has now been twice negatived in American history.. The first occasion was over a century ago, when Lafayette went to America to fight in the War of Independence, and French arms materially aided the establishment of the United States Republic. To-day the Americans are paying back; they have crossed the Atlantic to free France as Lafayette crossed it to free America. They are, however, doing more than that. Under an Anglo-American charter of liberties compounded of the appeals of President and Prime Minister—a charter comparable with any of its historic predecessors—the Americans are fighting for the freedom of the whole world. To do this, they haVe adopted military compulsion and have accepted a battleground thousands of miles from their native heath. In fact, they stand for all that the anti-compulsionist will not stand for. If, as appears, the American army is located in Lorraine, it will have a chance to aid directly in the freeing of the Rhine provinces torn forcibly from France half-a-century ago. Thus the debt of America to France will be paid, and all the nations fighting on the Western, battlefield will contribute something towards their common debt to civilisation.