The Dominion. SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 6. 1915. THE SPIRIT OF PRANCE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2378, 6 February 1915, Page 6

The Dominion. SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 6. 1915. THE SPIRIT OF PRANCE

Recent English newspapers contain reports of striking pronouncements regarding the war by three distinguished Frenchmen—tho Prime Minister (M. Viviani), M. Henri Bergson (who has won world-wide fame by his brilliant contributions to modern philosophical thought), and M. Emile Boutroux (Professor of Modern Philosophy at the University of Paris). The Prime Minister naturally reviews the course of events from the point of view of the statesman. Policy and diplomacy and the fighting power of the nation are his main theme, but he also pays a glowing tribute to the splendid spirit in which the people of Franco have met the brutal aggression of Germany. A. great nation fighting for its life in a just cause is a moving spectacle, and the almost overwhelming intensity of French patriotism when thoroughly roused, is one of the most fascinating characteristics of this keen-spirited and highlyimaginative race. . French patriotism has a character of its own which lias persisted through all those dramatic and far-reaching changes which have spread such a glamour of romance over the history of Franco. Just before the struggle began bitter political and religious feuas divided the' people into hostile camps, but with the declaration of war internal discord vanished as if by magic. The nation became one and indivisable at a bound, and presented a solid and unbroken front to the enemy. M. Boutroux states that the revival of French nationalism began to make itself felt as far back as the year 1905, when the hostile attitude of Germany in connection with the Moroccan trouble made it evident that she had m&de up her mind to make another attack on France. Then there arose, more "especially in the younger generation, a patriotism that was more practical and less interested in differences than that of the preceding generations. When the_ war broke out the people kept their heads admirably. They were [ aware that Germany,' "relying on her power which she regarded as invincible, meant to dominate the whole world, to recognise no other law than her own arbitrary will. They were happy and proud to feel, in accordance with French tradition, chat they were not only soldiers of France, but of the world; not only defenders of their country, but also tho champions of the rights of all nationalities." What a wonderful thing' is a righteous war ! The experience of Britain and Russia, like that of France, shows that it acts as an exhilarating moral tonic on a , country. It pulls a nation together, , and braces up its will and its spirit. M. Bergson's address as President j of the Academy of Moral and Poli- 1

tical Sciences, was a brilliant and stimulating utterance. Tho Paris correspondent of the Telegraph tells us that M. Bergson's hearers "marvelled at the mastery with which the philosopher looked at passing events in tho light of his philosophy, and both seized realities and fitted them in withhis dreams." It was a most impressive example of the adaptation of philosophy to actuality. In contrasting tho opposing forces in the tremendous struggle which is now proceeding, the celebrated author of Creative Evolution said that the philosophic historian fifty years hence might well sum up tho oauscs and results of the war between a machine-mado German and a living world in the following words:— On tha ono side you had mechanism, tho thins ready-made which could not repair itself; on tho olhor thoro w;is life, tho power of creation, which rnado mid remade it-self al every moment On the ono side you bud that which 'could wear out; on the other that which could not bo worn out. The machine, ;|S a fact, itw out, For a lon,i time it retll&fl itowis »tttt SttddSttl?

M. Brrgson describes in a vivid and striking manner how Germany, having arrived at such material prosperity as she had never known or dreamed of, said to herself: "If Force has wrought this miracle and given me glory and riches, then l'orco must contain within itself Gomo mysterious or divine virtue," and this conviction led on to the idea that the German people was a race of supermen, beside* which all other races were slaves! Prussia had been militarised by its Kings, and Germany was militarised by Prussia. A great machine had been set up which threatened to drag behind Germany other peoples, and to make them prisoners of tne same machine. The war had resolved itself into a fight between life and mechanism. Speaking from the point of view of the historian of some future day M. Bergson described the surprise that awaitccl the machino. "Suddenly moral forces revealed themselves as creative of material force. The ideal of force was triumphantly met by. the force of the ideal. From the soil of a country which had hitherto relied on its fleet arose one million —two million of armed men; and a nation believed to be morally divided became indissolubly brothers. "Destiny had willed that all the powors of death should be arrayed against iifo in this supreme combat," said M. Bergson. "Death was vanquished, humanity &a.vcd." This means that the German attempt to materialise the spirit instead of spiritualising matter, will result in gigan-. tic failure. The huge machino will collapse. Life must triumph over mechanism.

_ Contrasted with the dazzling brilliance of M. Bergson's address the speech of M. Viviaxi in the' Chamber, of Deputies becomes quite a plain and matter of fact statement. But the statesman's utterance serves its. purpose just as well as the philosopher's attempt to anticipate the verdict of history. The statesman has to deal with the hard realities of the present and the immediate ■future. He has to act and act now. Ho has to face the situation as he finds it, and must leave the deeper interpretation of the development of events out of which it has arisen to students of the philosophy of history. M. Viviani is, however, quite convinced that for more than forty years Germany has tirelessly pursued her goal—the crushing of France as a step towards the enslavement of the world. There have been indications that Germany would like to cause dissension among the Allies, and to make terms separately with France and Russia, in order to concentrate all her might in the fight against. Britain. But M. Viviani makes it clear beyond doubt that France will be faithful to her signature; of the agreement by which the British, French, and Russian Governments mutually engaged not to enter into any separate negotiations with the enemy. France has "plighted her honour, that is to say, her life," that she "will only lay down her arms when she has avenged her outraged rights, reunited her ravaged provinces—ravaged by forcerestored heroic Belgium to the plenitude of her material life and political independence, and crushed Prussian militarism, in order to reconstruct on a basis of justice a Europe at last regenerated." There is no hesitation, or uncertainty about this declaration, and similar statements have been made by the responsible statesmen of Britain and Russia. There must be no patched-up peace; it is to be a fight to a finish. The war has brought all the great national virtues of France into play, and ,M. Viviani is absolutely confident of ultimate success.