FRANCE AND ANTI-MILITARIM.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 50, 22 November 1907, Page 5

FRANCE AND ANTI-MILITARIM.

At the unveiling, of the monument of Gambetta, at Cavaillon, the other day; M. Thomson, the French Minister of- Marine, delivered a patriotic speech, in-which'ho spoke ot recent anti-military manifestations as being quite devoid . of serious significance. Uambetta, he said, revered' the history of l'ranne, and. knew the magnificent reserves of enthusiasm and heroism, of devotion and abnegation, which the French , raco' possessed Those qualities, M. Thomson declared, aro as vigorous as ever, as would soon be Been if some great .duty were imposed upon the nation. 'It is easy for theorists," he continued, 'to occupy the leisure hours of a ponod of' peaco with anti-militarist sophisms and chimeras, both' puerile and dangerous. But let Franco find herself at any point of the world suddenly obliged to defend her compatriots, her interests, or 1 the cause of civilisation, and the French soul is promptly stirred. She. thrills .with patriotic, pride when she.sees that, in spito of all sombre forecasts, tlio little soldiers of our democratic army have •remained worthy' e'f their great ancestors; that, like their brothers in arms of the navy, they have lost nothing of the joyous dash, the simple and tranquil valour, the fine endurance that have made the ' strength and glory of our aiins ;■ that the great chiefs aro equal to thoir task; that young officers full of daring initiative come to the front; and that thus all this unpatriotic utterance, which should hone the less be denounced and combated, has no importance whatever wlion the time for action comes." M. Roinach denounced the antipatriotic campaign of certain, internationalists, whose abominable doctrines would never, he declared, have any serious success in Franco. . •