RESOLUTE FRANCE.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 21 July 1917, Page 6

RESOLUTE FRANCE.

/ THE DANGER-POINT PASSED

LOOKING FOE FINAL VICTORY. LONDON, July S. At the secret session of the French Chamber of Deputies, the Minister for "War, M. Painleve, said the debate disclosed a passion for the good of the army. He declared: —"Thanks to the assistance of the allies the Government is able to devote closer attention to economic life, and is placing the older classes at the disposal of agriculturists. Other measures Avill follow. "The Allies know that France will never bend, but they also know that the blood of her army is flowing in streams to protect civilisation. It was this, more than anything else, that determined the United States to enter the struggle, for she did not wish to see France illuminating the world with her own' funeral pyre. Hitherto France has victoriously borne her trial. No nation has shown more perfect discipline. That must continue till the final victory. Whoever advises the laying down of arms now is an accomplice of the cni-r---. (Loud cheers.) "The Government is determined to or>pr*?o any propaganda which will risk weakening the" morale of the army. We shall only cer.se to fight the day that demenrp'-y n secured." At the close of the Minister's speech.

the whole of the chamber, except a few Socialists, rose and gave M. Paiuleve a long ovation. M. Malvy, Minister for the Interior, said: —"During the last four months we have victoriously passed the dangerous turning-point in the war. Since the hour of danger/has passed, how is it possible to doubt the.future? I admit that there have been mistakes, and in the last offensive there were heavy and avoidable losses. The responsible leaders have been relieved. The law does not permit of penalty without inquiry, which will open in a few days and fix the responsibility. Every bad mistake must be punished. There must be no more ambitious plans, the grandiose nature of w r hieh thinly conceal their emptiness. We must have a policy the prudence of which equals its energy —the policy of obtaining the maximum effect while economising human lives."

M. Eibot, Premier, regretted that the offensive of April 16 was not more successful. Yet he thought that the results so dearly bought, were glorious for the French arms. What a wave of pessimism would have swept over the country had the Germans obtained such a result. Germany would be more than ever driven to make peace, recoiling from nothing to that end. M. Eibot here referred to the receipt of a large cheque, of suspicious origin, by the manager of a Parisian journal, in connection with which an arrest had been made. Nothing, he concluded, would deter the Government from its duty. He refused liberty of discussion to tlTose who were attempting, consciously "or unconsciously, to lead the country into a shameful peace.