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I ill C£D II! !j |i! 11l Wc often speak of the spirit of a na tion without much conception of whaj: the term means. And yet each nation has its own peculiar Tnetliod of expressing itself just as definitely as the individuals which compose it. As the spirit of the indi vidual makes up,'the personality by which he is known, so the national spirit be comes the interpretation of that nation in the opinion of the world. As a person, actuated by mean and selfish motives in his dealings wWh his fellow-man, is re garded with *scorn and contempt by his 'fellows, so a country in whose life greed and deception are predominant becomes accursed in the company of nations. In great crises, involving the honor of a na tion, we should look to the motive that prompts to action, for it is there that the spirit betrays iiself. National spirit is, .therefore, niadi up of various components. It is the nation’s personality. It i§ as well the motivr which lies back of its attitude toward life and the world at large. It is tb heart-throb which prompts it to speed defense of its own honor and the prope conceptjpn of the lights of -other ria tions. The declaration of the ancient concerning the individual that “from th abundance of-the heart the mouth speak eth” holds equally true in case of groups of human beings'. Sso the Wor d nffficl.- in judgment. crtVr the jwkle* pose it and weighs in sc,fit's *>• ■Vi.JtTvv, opinion the s spirit ."’that guides 'in u ‘ fairs pi men/ a Wc must tWf'Varida.'i cd 1 “ tries in va.jda ways. Yet .also'- pansjbie UiaT ,ih natural feeling of the nation mfy bycpia, warped' by ifie Inlluetipe, yi a-rcirtcfS stimuli. Igor .'a ccjaniry . whic! owes much to. its lellovvs and’should re spoud quickly to the demands of hu inanity, may have had its conscience s distorted by the Worship °f materialisn as to show spirit entirely foreign to tha of its founders. The veneer of the ban! account may be allowed to stifle the ex pression of the heart beat and the work will wonder at the change and laugh a the ideal falls to the earth in ruins. There is np nation in the public ey< today which is so commended as i: France, our sister republic. May we no account for this by the fact that she ha; remained firmly attached to the ideals o' her founders? As we study the history of this nation we find that there ha: been a consistent expression of idealism though, at times, obscured by the con fusion of the times. Back of the appa rent loss of a national spirit has always been in evidence a strong public opinion which pointed the way out. She has I made her intakes, as other countries | have done, bm we may love her for her i mistakes, as she has eventually righted herself before the world. What are some of the characteristics of the French spirit? First of all we should place love of country. To a Frenchman, France sums up all that is best in this world. In his estimation she stands but little lower than his God and for her his life is willingly sacrificed. There is no self-interest back of this love other than that which accrues to tlie in individual in the happiness and well-be ing of all. Great.has been the inspira tion of this motive and deeds of valor that thrill have had their origin here There is no appeal which can receive greater or more instant response. The , Marseillaise, which has beert worth le- | gions to the armies of France, has its j wonderful power in the emphasis uponj the obligation of tHe citizenry of a coun try to live and die, if need he, not for their own personal gain, but that the na tional ideal may live and pass on to pos terity an unsullied national honor. There has been noticeable also in the life of France a deep consciousness of individual liberty. This has proved the: great spark which has lighted the torch i of freedom in the world. To tier we owe a debt which is hard to pay for her share in making America “the land of the free and the home of the brave.” It has been to her credit, too, that she has not con tented herself with “good wishes” ir freedom’s cause, but has poured out her treasure and her blood without stint. In our own revolution millions of francs willingly exchanged for “scraps of paper" showed her love, in a tangible way. Still better, thousands of men under able lead- . ers demonstrated her hatred of the op presspr. The last battle against England on American soil was largely a French j victory, as French troops outnumbered the continentals and Lafayette led the first successful attack against the British redoubts. Her devotion to the cause of hu- ( inanity was aghin demonstrated when, j in 1914, she hared her breast to the ad- j vaneing hosts of Germany. It was her : indomitable faith in the cause of justice i that hurled them back in stern defiance. It was this repulse that saved the civili zation of the world, as definitely as the victory of Charles Martel preserved Eu rope from the domination of Islam at Poitiers in the 7th Century. In both cases the growth of a military autocracy was checked and democracy assured an eventful success There has always been a note of self sacrifice in her world vision. Humanity has played a large part in her plans for the future. It has never been France alone that has filled her thought, but the general uplift of mankind through an equal chance to all. It has taken blood shed often for her to work out her de signs. but she has w'orked them out tc her glory and the world’s happiness. AVe must not overlook the sympathy for the oppressed which has been for her a grand appeal. All nations in need have turned to France and never turned inVain. The battle flelds'of the combats waged for human rights have been red- 1 dened with French blood. Not a small part in the progress toward the goal of real civilization is to he ascribed to the faithful consecration of our sister republic. The sunny character of the French disposition has contributed greatly to tin sum total of the world’s optimism. The pleasant land of France has been the hearth fire around which have gathered the smiles of all nations. In defeat as in victorv, she has kept her delicious; faith in the sweetness of humanity In l Page 14 The Spirit of France TRENCH AND CAMP gejneral. It is her assurance that the cause is just that has made it possible for her to "smile through her tears” in these troublous days, though her heart is breaking. The world, is better for her loving sympathy with its weaknesses and gains therein encouragement to struggle on to eventual salvation. She is called frivolous. Perhaps she is. Cannot a nation be smiling and happy if the'world is better for it? She has con tributed much that is bad to the world, says the critic. Does she stand alone in this? How about the other side of the sense of obligation to higher things of life and her God is a real personage to her. As she has charity for us, may we have charity for her and may we love her for what sfie has done in a lov ing spirit of helpfulness and overlook the petty things which, in her thoughtless ness, she may have been led to commit. Let us join together in a ‘.‘Vive la France” and assure her of our hearty co-operation in a just cause, “A la vie: a la mort.” Mess Sergeants . % If you would be popu lar with your troop, get Kenny’s High Grade Coffee and Kenny’s Che-on Tea. C.O. Kenny Co. 976 Broad St. Phone 601. Wholesale Cigars Tobaccos Cigarettes Pipes Chewing Gam * Retail ' Department Headquarters for Pennsylvanians-- Cigars, Soda, Pool and Billiards. Bnrdell- Cooper Cinco Distributors 752 Broad. Phone 23. You Can Make Your Tent More Comfortable If You Cover The Floor With ,«!■ Slusky’s Rubber Roofing Tt will add warmth to the tent, keep out the dampness, cold winds and insects. It will be more than a carpet to your floor. The cost is small—the comfort great. $1.25 per roll of 108 square feet, including nails for applying, delivered at the camp. Call Phone 100 and we will de liver it to you. David Slusky & Son 1009 BROAD STREET. AUGUSTA. Camp Hancock Soldiers ATTENTION!! We beg to announce that we are prepared to take care bf your wants in anything electrical. We are es pecially featuring, for your approval, the following things: TELEPHONE, TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENTS, FLASH LIGHTS, BATTERIES AND MANY OTHER ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES. We are an independent firm, sell closer than many other places of the same kind, and can therefore offer you much better prices. NEW HOME ELECTRICAL CONTRACTING COMPANY 857 y 2 Broad St. Augusta, Ga. Phone 1000. DRINK Jiueen^ At Counters % / Camp Hancock Boys! We have Souvenirs and Novelties to suit your taste. Our line consists of: Felt and Silk Pennants, Pillow Tops, Post Cards, Pictures, Swagger Sticks, Tie and Handkerchief Holders. Our stock also includes some camp necessities, such as: Comfort Kits, Hat Cords, Khaki and Silk Handker chiefs, Collar Ornaments, Money Belts, and many other useful articles. Camp Hancock Souvenir Store 630 BROAD STREET. Our Motto: Popular Prices, Courteous Service. Noy. 28, 1917.