France Changes Ministers 127 labored under was not comparable to those of 1792, when she faced a whole world in arms without trained soldiers or generals. But what it is vital for all of us Americans to understand is that the French situation in the last days of August was the direct, the Inevitable conse- quence of her choice of her form of government. It was exactly what we have had to face In all the wars of our history. If democracy cannot maintain Itself under these circumstances in France and Eng- land alike, it will be forced to give way to a system which, however unpleasant, heavy handed, inspired by the temper and tone of the barrack, can In the final hour defend the frontier and the nation. Precisely the same lesson was to be found in Russian as in German success in the present war. German success, if uninterrupted In the next few days, already foreshadowed the arrival of the Ger- man offensive before the forts of Paris. The ap- pointment of General Galllcni, one of the most dis- tinguished of French officers, as Governor plainly hinted at the expectation of such a contingency. But It was also a wholesome indication of the deter- mination to put soldiers rather than political generals on guard. But to reach Paris was not to take It. In 1 8707 1 that was a matter of months after the last regular French army had been captured and France had no allies. In the meantime It is well to look at the po- litical as well as the merely military aspects of the