THE SECRET HISTORY OF A FRENCH CRISIS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 109, 1 October 1914, Page 6

THE SECRET HISTORY OF A FRENCH CRISIS.

WHY FRANCE COULD NOT FIGIIT GFUiJANY,

Why there was -i:o war between Fiance and Germany in lifUvi is now explained quasi-ofticially for the first time ■by .Senator Almond, says tho Paris correspondent of -the Daily Telegraph. The ''evclation was made at a speech at Paincy. It is well known that when 11. Dclcasse resigned, aiter tile visit of I lie Kaiser to Tangier ten years ago, ii was ibicaiKu France then was not, prepared for war. Hat what is new in liie statement made by Senator Almond is -the sc-ene at the memorable Cabinet meeting in which 11. Dcicasse'oll'crid his resignation.

it. Almond, referring to the long negotiations about -Morocco, f>aid:— 'Th, difllcuHics do not date back to yesterday. They go 'back ten .veal's, i t was on the day when we learned from the Press that the Oman Emperor was to land at Tangier. What was lie goinor to do there? lie wtnt there obviously to lay the foundation of a German. Empire in Morocco. We were to have Germany as our neighbour in Algeria as s-ho is our neighbour on the European Contim nt.

"A grave question therefore arose for the Government, of which 'll. Berti-aux rfas I member, and, as }ou all know, Minister of War. In the eoffir.se of a memorable Gibinet meeting, of which 1 may new speak without fear of unduly revealing State seen hi, and the details of winch M. l.erteaiix related to me many a time, M. Rouvior, who had called the meeting specially t'ho day after the landing of the Kaiser, said: "What are we to doV

M. Dekasse replied: 'We must send a fleut to Tangier.' 'That will mean war,' replied M. Rouvier. 'Are. we ready?' he asked each of the. Ministers in turn, and, finally, addressing himself to the Minister of War, he adked M. Berteaux in the following words: 'Well, my dear Minister of War, we are in a position to fight? M. Bcrtrcaux replied 'No, The report of General Sylvci>U"e, who followed tho jfaneluirian war, showt that I lie (iOO rounds which we can fire per g",m would Ibe u,td up in less than ten days, and we should not be able to continue the struggle, I canno(, ta-ko the responsibility of tlie national, defence under swJi circumstances.' "When If. Rouvier asked the suuo question of if. Deleasse, the latter stood un .mil .--lid: '.My dear colleagues, 1 un-der.-i!and what. Unit means; lien l is nv portfol'o.' and he left the Council C'ltaniber."

M. Almond went on to explain how M. Berte.uix demanded 'more money, and how the reorganisation of tho Army was taki n in hand.