[i]

OUR PART IN THE GREAT WAR

Leon Mirman, the Governor of Meurthe-et-Moselle, andthe refugees for whom he cares.

[ii]
[iii]

OUR PART IN
THE GREAT WAR

BY

ARTHUR GLEASON

AUTHOR OF "YOUNG HILDA AT THE WARS," "THE SPIRITOF CHRISTMAS," "LOVE, HOME AND THE INNER LIFE," ETC.

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS FROM PHOTOGRAPHS

NEW YORK
FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY
PUBLISHERS

[iv]

Copyright, 1917, by
Frederick A. Stokes Company

All rights reserved, including that of translation
into foreign languages

To
FRANCE ON JULY 14TH

Three years of world war draw to a close, asFrance prepares to celebrate the birthday of her liberty.Never in the thousand years of her tumultuoushistory has she been so calm, so sure of the path shetreads, red with the blood of her young men. Shehas never drunk any cup of joy so deeply as thiscup of her agony. In the early months of the war,there were doubts and dismays, and the cheap talk ofcompromise. There were black days and blackmoods, and a swaying indecision. But under theimmense pressure of crisis, France has lifted to aclear determination. This war will be fought to afinish. No feeble dreams of peace, entertained byloose thinkers and fluent phrase makers, no easy conciliations,will be tolerated. France has made hersacrifice. It remains now that it shall avail. Shewill fulfill her destiny. Time has ceased to matter,Death is only an incident in the ongoing of thenation. No tortures by mutilation, no horrors ofshell fire, no massing of machine guns, can swerve[vi]the united will. The "Sacred Union" of Socialistand royalist, peasant and politician, is firm to endure.The egoisms and bickerings of easy untested yearshave been drowned in a tide that sets towards theRhine. The premier race of the world goes forth towar. That war is only in its beginning. The tollof the dead and the wounded may be doubled beforethe gray lines are broken. But they will be broken.A menace is to be removed for all time. The GermanEmpire is not to rule in Paris. Atrocities are not tobe justified by success. Spying will be no longerthe basis of international relationship. France facesin one direction. She waits in arms at Revigny andalong the water courses of the North for the machineto crack. That consummation of the long watchmay be nearer than we guess. It may be manymonths removed. It does not matter. France waitsin unshattered line, reserve on reserve, ready to thecall.

Only once or twice in history has the world witnessedsuch a spectacle of greatness at tension. It isnot that factories are busy on shells. It is that everythingspiritual in a race