The world
seems to be unhinged.
Yet the incomprehensible is under the existing circumstances only too
easily understood, Guesde and Sembat have taken this difficult step,
because there was no other choice for them, they had to take it. They,
as representatives of a party which had sent 102 members to the Chamber
of Deputies, could not refuse, when this was the question, to create a
Ministry for Defense.
That was the question! It was demanded of all the larger parties that
they put up their best--that is, their intellectually strongest--men for
a Cabinet whose sole task was the defense of France. When this task is
accomplished, when the war is ended in one way or the other, then the
Ministry will undoubtedly dissolve, and the Ministerial magnificance of
Comrades Guesde and Sembat will be at an end until the opportunity
offers of creating a Socialist Ministry.
France, according to all news emanating from the scene of hostilities,
is in an extraordinarily difficult situation. Should the German Army
succeed, as seems already to have been the case in two places, in
breaking through the French-Belgian-English chain of defense, then the
way to Paris is as good as open. If nothing more, at least the reported
preparations of the Parisians indicate that a siege is expected there in
the very near future; and since Paris is still the heart of France, the
taking of that city would be one with the fall of the French Republic.
Pages:
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581