FRENCH TRIBUTE TO ENGLAND

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 295, 2 September 1918, Page 7

FRENCH TRIBUTE TO ENGLAND

"A GIGANTIC IMPROVISATION" STIRRING SPEECH BY M. PAUL DESCHANEL In the latest "Nouvellos pour Francais a I'Etraßger" (liows for the French among strangors) appears a report of a strikingly fino speech delivered by M. Paul Desohaned, Speaker of the French Chamber of Deputies, on British Empire Day (May 24). at the Sor-' bonne, Paris, in the presence of a vast audience, which' included the English Ambassador and military representatives of all the Allies. Speaking of tho English race, tho popular French orator said:—

"We have here a i>cople great in their power of judgment and conception, but great, abovo all, in their granito steadfastness ; of purpose; a people who,_ after having established their own civil and political freedom, stand to-day as tho rampart of European liberty; a people who have carried civilisation across the farthest seas, among savage races under unknown/stars, who, with Shakespeare, have sounded the utmost depths of man, yith Bacon havo reconstructed philosophy, and with Newton havo discovered the laws of tho universe."

■ After a passing referonco to the ancient Franco-British rivalry, which ho characterised as "a wretched anachronism, the mero recounting of which could give satisfaction only to those who in .1870-71 dismembered Franco,"the- speaker continued:

"At length, at tho beginning of'the twentieth century—May 2, 1903, to be precise—there came a prince of clear vision, a man of experience and fine wisdom, King Edward VII, who spoke the words so new and yet so welcome to a meeting of the British Chamber of Commerco in Paris, saying, 'The friendship of the two countries (France and'Engiand) is tho object of my continual solicitude.' He came.to us with hands held out, iiot actuated by ' a spirit of hostility and aggression towards Germany, but only mindful of ths growing ambition which she (Germany) no longer tried' to • conceal. For at Aix-la-Chapelle on Juno 20, 1902, Emperor William II said: • 'It is to the empire of the world that German genius ■ aspires/ And in that statemont he. interpreted the desire of all Germans, poets, philosophers, statesmen, warriors, economists, and professors. In January, 1907, on the morrow of the Reichstag elections, taking up tho famous words of Bismarck, 'Germany knows how to rido on horseback when she likes,' Eropercr William cried aloud, 'Not only shall she rido on horseback, but we shall boat down on our way every obstacle that opposes us.' He further quoted from tho versos of Kleist (a Gorman poet)— .'What matters it to us the rules By which our enemy is beaten down, So that he helpless lies at our feet; He and all .his standards!' ' And, he added, 'The art of beating down we have learnt, and wc burn with desire to practice it still!' And in January, 1909, 'h» gavo before, all Germany tho most .resovnding approbation to the article written by the Commander-in-Chief, Major-Geiieral von Scblieffen, entitled, 'The Treaty of Frankfort is only a Truce!'

"All Germans cherish the same evil dream of Germany dominating tho world—'Deutschland über Alles.' And yet .neither England nor France realised the peril. Because Euglish_ Ministers did 'everything to maintain peace they thought to avoid war. Tho memoira of Prince Lichnowsky prove with what conciliatory,, not to say friendly, feeling .they were animated towards Berlin, right to the evo of the outbreak of war, lt is therefore mockery to ■ pretend, as the Germans do, 'that any nation meditated their downfall. Britain was entirely given up to industrial and commercial pursuits. She was governed by the most pacific of men; she had an army of 160,000 men. But Berlin soon convinced her that Germany was still tho land of Frederick and Bismarck, the homo of the invaders of' Silesia and forgers of the Ems dispatch. She replied to_ the courteous procedure of British Ministers by cutting Britain to the quick, by aiming at her heart. Soon she added to those 'proud'memories the murder of Miss Cavoll. Then was accomplished the prodigious marvel that we have met to glorify to-<lay, that gigantic improvisation we hold out—not for imitation, for a like miracle cannot be accomplished twice—but to the. admiration of the centuries. '. . . Nevertheless, Germany has united Franco and Britain, not only for the terms of the war, but for ever, as tho following omen clearly indicates: Before the war there was in _the belfry, of Calais a famous peal of Flemish bells.' On tho face of the clock that looked out from below the bells were two cavaliers representing Henry VIII of England and Francois I of France. As tho. hours struck the two figures exchanged'tilts of the lance,, the number of thrusts corresponding with the hour struck. A German shell struck the historic adversaries, and put an end to their long combat for ever. 'That is the only shell that ever showed any senso of humour,' said a Frenchman, who did not lack it."