A COMMUNARD’S VIEW OF ENGLAND.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1386, 22 November 1884, Page 2

A COMMUNARD’S VIEW OF ENGLAND.

The celebrated Communard, Jules ValIds, whose long residence in England has given him a better knowledge of the English than most of his countrymen can boast of, publishes a very remarkable article in the Matin Frangaisz, bidding both Germans and Frenchmen beware lest they rouse the dormant spirit of Englishmen. M. Yallds candidly admits that his countrymen do not love the English. He proceeds:— “ The English in perfect good faith despise us for our carelessness, our keen enjoyment of ridicule, while they dread the quixotism which breaks out in heroism or in revolution. They regard us as alternately apes and tigers. Perhaps they would fly at each others’ throats if the diplomatic buffer were not timely interposed and revolution occasionally interfered. But matters have not come to such a pass. The newspaper war that deafens us just now does not portend the roaring of artillery. But should chance cause the mine to explode, the English would bo on a war footing quite as soon as we would.” Mr Val es then proceeds to argue that on land as well as oh their native element the English are more than a match for continental foes, French or German. People say that England has a navy but no army. It is true that she does not pen in barracks naif a million cf idlers with nothing to do but to pipeclay their belts whilst the taxpayers are starved to feed them. But at the first summons a huge multitude would start up calling for arms, and well able to wield them. The whole of the Militia and the Volunteers would rally round the Union Jack. In that country, where no man is compelled to be a soldier, soldiers would spring out from the ground. And why 1 Because, without being eaten up by the conscription which devours five years out of his life, without being subjected to an iron discipline, every man who is able to buy a rifle has a right to have one, and because every man who has a rifle submits to be drilled, and frequents the ranges and learns how to manoeuvre and how to shoot. Let but the hour of danger strike, and all these people can be mobilised and hold their own in action. They might guard the coasts, or even incorporate with the regulars, and, supported by the countless guns that are oast at Woolwich, they would hold their position by the side of seasoned troops, and right well would they hold. I am not one of those who deride the British army. We are a long way off from the Crimean campaign, where our neighbours showed not only bravery, but died like flies, while the puny French weathered the climate, fever and famine The lesson was not thrown away upon them, and they now know how to shift for themselves. Misery would act as recruiting-sergeant at the door of every public-house, and starvelings would eagerly press to take the Queen’s shilling, which might expand into a guinea, or possibly into a five pound note. We have in Franca millions of small people who own their own house or a bit of land, or have money in tljo funds, whom the slightest disturbance drives wild with Light, and who are quite prepared to s«ll to the enemy the produce of their orchard or dairy if he is prepared to pay for it—nay, who would sell their town itself to secure for their dwelling an immunity from shell and their parsons or purse from a scratch of the enemy’s sword. In England people are, as a rule, ridiculously rich or absurdly poop. The absurdly poor form the bulk of the country, and they will serve her well. Those barefooted vagabonds suddenly provided with shoes,

those starvelings provided with regular meals, those thirsty souls whom their pay or the plunder after a victory* will enable to slake their unquenchable thirst niii, once they wear scarlet, form an innumerable horde, and will fight and die at the word of com* mand like a herd of Moslems. The honor of the flag will be their fortune, will be* come the great aim of life for those regenerated outcasts. Out of that aim an ideal will ferment, and arise, and twinkle like a star. Damanet (the French Tommy Atkins), who on his hard cimp bed recol- . lects his cosy couch at home, and'mindful • of the future when be is an old man, will find these stout red-bearded fellows, who • have nothing to look back to and less to look forward to, very tough customers to 1 deal with. For that reason alone a thinking man would view a war with England with quite as much apprehension as the renewal of a duel with Germany. Behind the iron Chancellor there stands Socialism, ever tracked and pursued, but ever menacing, and at whose bidding regiments may lay down their arms. , The people in the ranks may shake . hands with the people out of the ranks over the corpses of slaughtered generals. Let people at Yarzin not laugh at this. It might be that Chauvinism will perish thus. But in England, where centuries must pass before there is a prospect of expropriation, nothing of the kind is to be feared. In England battalions will not go over and put up the butt end ol their muskets in token '-f surrender. The officers, quiet and impassive, will give the word of command without uttering a cry if they are wounded. Without exalting they mingle unperceivod with the crowd. In London no clattering of sabres is beard along the streets. In England the dram sounds only to give orders when danger is at hand. Beware of that silent race who raise their voice only above the roar of cannon and put on their red coats only to celebrate la fete au sang. M. Jules Valids would not be himself if ha did not indulge in exaggeration ; but this eloquent article shows that he has acquired a more thorough knowledge of England during his exile than many of his countrymen in high places.