GREAT MEMORIAL TO VERDUN DEFENDERS

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6944, 25 June 1929, Page 7

GREAT MEMORIAL TO VERDUN DEFENDERS

“ They Shall Not Pass! *

CITY THAT HAS BEEN DESTROYED TEN TIMES MAKING WAR UNPROFITABLE. United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph —Copyright. Received Monday, 7 p.m. PARIS, June 23. On the thirteenth anniversary of the breaking of the German advance, trie president M. Doumcrgue, unveiled a great memorial to tho defenders ot Verdun, which also celebrated trie completion of the town’s reconstruction. A Gallic soldier, with his hands on the eword hilt, stands on top of a triangular column to which lead 78 steps. A golden box in the crypt contains the names of all tho defenders. Marble tablets bear Gon oral Retain s order and M. Poincare’s words: “These are the walls against which the supremo hope of German Imperialism were broken. Here France replied with the firm resolvo ‘None shall pas's.’ ’’ The Town hall and houses were decorated with the colours of the 40 defending regiments. M. Poincare, after a banquet, said: “France earnestly desires peace and would ensure it so long as the treaties were observed and reparations paid.’’ President Doumcrgue recalled that .Ycrduu had been destroyed ten times. Europe must bo assured of peace to provent an eleventh destruction, for which war must be made, if not impossible, then disastrous for the belligerents.