ARMS AND FRANCE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1830, 16 August 1913, Page 7

ARMS AND FRANCE.

A STIRRING SPEECH. M. Etienne, the French Minister for iWar, made a stirring speech in the Chamber of Deputies' in favour of tho [Three Years' Service Bill. Ho said that France now had 170,000 men to put in the field against the' BSO.OOO which Germany was going to have. "What Government woukl not havo taken the measures which we have taken?" he asked. "For forty-three years we have lived in peace. We have even gone through this titne of peace at the price of tho worst sacrifices. And then caine the thunderclap from Germany, who 13 increasing her fighting force, and in what proportions ? Ought we then to havo remained inactive? If so, we should have had to inform Europo that France was suppressed, and to call on the country to die bsfore'fighting. Well, I havo given tho alarm to my country. "Why does Germany suddenly raise her effectives from 700,000 to 880,000? Sho must havo designs. Thoso designs it is not for ine to fathom. 1 have not to judge German policy. But the French Minister for War had a measure to take and that is why tho whole Government had the courage to ask the country for tho heavy sacrifices that are necessary. . "Do you want to be the vassals or satellites oi Germany? (Cries of "No! No!") No more do we. We shall then pursue our way to our goal and wo shall go on to the end whatever the fatigues involved, and we shall triumph over thorn.

"Of, such, fatigues I personally have Been plenty, for not with impunity do I belong to that generation which witnessed defeats and which was afterwards brought up in that school in which the French Fatherland is put above ovorything, and ■which in times of danger knows no'parties. Calm and rcsoluto we pursue our 'task with the support of brave men such as you, pjtd with the approval of the mothers of France, who think as wo do because there lies salvation, there is the victory of tomorrow.

"We want peace with dignity, but if unfortunately war should break outthen, with the whole country, with our eminent leaders, with our incomparable corp3 of officers which is tho admiration and excites the Jealousy of all foreign general stalls because it is tho best trained and the most devoted, with our admirable non-commissioned officers—if wo were attacked wo should, despite ourselves, go on ti victory." Thunders of applause greeted tho Minister's peroration, tho whole audience rising to their feet and cheoring.

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