THE FRENCH PRESS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 80, 30 December 1918, Page 6

THE FRENCH PRESS

■ BRITAIN'S EFFORTS PRAISED. "Iβ. Figaro,"/ tho newspaper representative of the Conservative element in France, publishes , a stirring article , on the British victories in France:—"France, in its entirety, those who know these heroic facts in the front line as well as ■ those in the .rear, is. following with a passionnte attention anil an increasing admiration the magnificent victories now being won by the British armies on the 6oil of France. Since the eighth of last August, when 'the British entered with so much vigour into the conflict,, we have seen the battle extend more and more towards . the north, Rawlinson, Byng; Home, and P.lumer participating one after the other in the qreat movement."" The British bulldog has with its terrible teeth seized tlio Germans by the throat, anil we may be sure. that ■they will not let go in a hurry. What is "noticeable more than anything else in these British victories, is the stern will to conquer and the definite ascendancy, over the enemy, now materially and morally dominated. Superiority of menns, big guns, aeroplanes, • and still more n superiority of enerey, revealed by the latest successes, justify - 'The Times' in its statement that it was not only the Wotan. line that we destroyed, on Monday last, but nlso the prestige of the German armies. We,'as.a matter of fact, are witnessing the -crushing of their gigantic defences-in the West. In deliberately attacking the heaviest part of these defences our allies havo demonstrated in everybody's eyes that they have pierced the German defence line at its most solid place, and thus thrown to the ground the dogma of inviolability of tho German front There is not, 'in fact, a single Frenchman amongst us who docs not feel the. most lively sentiment of joy and gratitude on account of these magnificent triumphs on the part of our 'brave allies. , The immense services which England lias rendered us and which she is still rendering us are certainly those things which cannot bo easily forgotten. Who, indeed, amongst us is unable to remember the dark and tragic days tit the beginning of the war .when the British, Government had not yet made known its will to fight at our side? They promised to bar the Pas do Calais with their fleet and to protect us against any naval attack on the purt of Germany. This, however, was but a negative assistance, yet when the enemy violated Belgian neutrality, England, then fully conscious, of her duties and of her interests, did not hesitate to send her ultimatum to Berlin, thus throwing into the balance the formidable- weight of her sword. She has since given us infinitely more than she had ever promised, and the hopes which her co-operation awakened with us have more than been surpassed. The font little divisions which General French threw upon our soil have become nix immense army, and the English legions constantly renewed, have com;-out of the soil of Britain like an inexhaustible reservoir; and England is not only fighting ii\ France. She is sustaining the great cause in Salonika, in Mesopotamia, and in Palestine, where she supports large bodies of troop's. Lord jN'ortnciill'e stated tho other day that England's death list alone had reached M,iHi\> men, tliis figure requiring absolutely no comineJt. It proclaims! in fact, witn what interpid valour England assumed her share ot the load we are all carrying, and at the same time constitutes the most eloquent reply to the infamous German accusation that England, while sending her allies to the front, places herself in the rear. The British hects have swept from tho sens all vestige of.German influence, .and thanks to this mighty fleet all of the great steamers and al. of the colossal cruisers of which Germany wns'so proud have been forced prudently 'to remain within per ports, England has maintain-' ed in a tangible and unquestioned manner the sovereignly of the.sens'. In the meantime the infnmy of this submarine warfare brought America, with" Jier tremendous resources to our side, yet it is the indirect conseqenco of \. England's supremacy at sea taht'the American soldiers are able to reach us at the rate of 300,000 per month, an;l British ships brought over at least two-thirds of them. England is tho industrial defence of our coalition, as the coal, the real 'bread ol our workshops, comes for the greater part from her mines. For four years fiho has unflichingly supported this prodigious military, naval, and economic effort, and as the war progresses her will and certainty of victory affirms itself more and more. Those Frenchmen who have resided a long time in the other Bide of the Channel, realise. Hint the dominating character of Great Britain is tho unquestionable fidelity which the Englishman conserves for Vis friends. For my part I have old friends in London to whom I have not written a word for years, yet were I to arrive in their city to-morrow, and were I to make' known my presence, they would all hasten to receive me in their homes and treat me as cordially as if T had only left them the-night before. It is, then, thie confident security which constitutes tho force of the Anglo-French" alliance, and which to-day is the gauge of victory and to-morrow the peace of the world.' .