May 21st 016
My Dear Rev Walters,
I had been wondering what to write to you about, & after some consideration I have decided to give you a few of my impressions on “The Soul & the Spirit of the French Nation” as revealed in this War.
War is a great Discoverer, insomuch that it generally tones up a nation to a superhuman degree & brings to light many characteristics which otherwise would lie dormant.
Not that War is always necessary to reveal hidden qualities of valor & character, far from it, but I think that a Nation’s life is more understood, & its resources better calculated when it is fighting for life & liberty.
And so the sound of War’s alarm has aroused the people of France, that whereas 2 years ago the spirit of chivalry was seemingly dead, today a new spirit inspires them & they are fired with an ambition that is marvellous in its intensity & wonderful in its breadth.
France is awake! Her slumbers are oer, & over the hills of France resounds the cry “March on, March on, ye valiant hosts. To liberty or death” what nobler spirit can inspire a nation than that Her best endeavours should be used to liberate the weak, & up raise the fallen?
France has an interest in the fallen & weak, & those who neglect such an interest are the people who endeavour to subdue emotion & whose sole idea is to usurp the world, & retard all forces of progress that make for Liberty, Freedom, & Truth.
Those who lift up the oppressed & sad are those who are truly strong. A distinguishing Element in the Life of the French Nation is Loyalty.
Some people have the idea that the Spirit governing Loyalty is swept away with the enforcement of conscription. But such is not always the case. Conscription only touches a certain class of men, which means that there is still a class left, who either through age or physical reasons cannot take part in the actual conflict, yet who offer all their resources to the cause that commends itself to them. Many a French father has given his sons to fight & then has offered his life-savings to his Country. True Patriots indeed! In France, the conscript attempts to emulate the Spirits of His Father, in fact, every “Idol” of the hour claims his attention, & gives him a fresh impulse for future days.
The man of Loyalty is the man of power, & a combination of the 2 forces always argues for success, be it great or small. Thus the Son of France has not lost his chivalry & dignity because the Law of the Land compels him to be a soldier much rather is he eager for the day to come to come when he can handle his own Rifle, & when he can be recognised as a useful unit of his country. Wherever I go I find that the French people are filled with a wonderful love & enthusiasm for their country, which ought to be the admiration of the whole world.
The Soul of France is aflame with a Light Divine & her people are re-echoing the sentiments of the 18th Century when they fought for Civil Liberty & Equality.
The same purpose does not govern their zeal today, but a greater animates their passion & we have a glorious example of Her sense of Honor by the stand she is making for civilization & above all God.
Loyalty is an expression of the Soul & a virtue of Grace when used for the right purpose of life, & when Divinely inspired.
And is not the French Nation divinely led when she uses all her forces of Humanity & Science to combat evil? I think so, & moreover, if this War is the result of Hell let loose, then those forces of perdition must be met by an inspired humanity, because God will never tolerate oppression, rather will those forces perish, that Truth & Justice may triumph.
The French Nation, too, Have the stern resolve to ennoble Freedom. Freedom has been dethroned. And who realises that truth more than the Republic of France?
Year after year has She been paying an unjust indemnity to Germany, besides having to concede part of Her finest mineral producing territory, & the question I ask is this: – Can a nation enjoy freedom when she has been unjustly treated by Her conqueror? Never! Her industry is crippled, her resources are taxed & an increased taxation must meet the demands of an unscrupulous enemy.
For 40 years Freedom has been denied France but thank God the day is fast approaching when she will be able to turn round & say to Her tyrant foe, “Pay what thou owest me”. And that is the stern resolve of the Republic of France.
Of course, it means that Germany must bear a heavy burden in future years, but the same Divine Law applies to Nations as to the individuals. “Whatsoever is sown must be reaped”.
This conflict, then, will resolve itself into a realised ambition regarding the French Nation they will come into their own, & that speedily.
Ambition is never realised by an expression of sentiment, but of duty, & often do we find the highest qualities of a Nations Manhood revealed in War, even though the struggle may call away those who have displayed such qualities of zeal & service.
The Spirit of the people is wonderful. They bear no malice, because they have known long ago that Hatred has never paved the way to success, nor ever ennobled the purposes of an ambitious people.
Hate makes a man cruel, & in a measure he becomes a despot, & loses every element of Loyalty & ambition that ought to make him a soldier & not a barbarian.
Another feature revealed in the French Nation is: – The co-operation of all class, & especially the Poorer Class.
Every person is engaged from the youth of 12 years who drives the plow to the woman of 60, who, bearing her great Basket on her back, goes to dig the garden, & root out the weeds from the corn-fields.
I can assure you, Sir That the Villages have sent their quota of men, & then the bulk of the work is done by youths & their mothers & grandmothers.
There is one thing of which I am pleased & that is – That our English Women do not have to do the same work as the French Women do. It is a common sight to see women of 50 years whose backs are nearly doubled by the hard lived & the tremendous work done.
Yet I find all these people optimistic, though there are few homes in the villages that have not been touched either by the hand of separation or death.
The villagers rarely smile, their smiles have gone, & a distant look is on their faces as if they can see the Distant Days of Glory & Liberty dawning oer the hills.
Everyone seems to be in the hands of The Republic, every class co-operating for a successful issue to the War.
And is not mutual & National co-operation a sure sign of success, I think so? It reveals the combined qualities of grit & mind power, & when those qualities are revealed, then the Soul of a Nation is awakened & success is achieved.
The greatest Nations have known the Value of Tragedy. In some cases it may be a calamity but the French people have realised its true & full value, because even with the successful side there is always an element of disaster in War.
Tragedy enervates the soul, enervates the mind, gives impulse to character, turns man to witness the serious issues of life & the one who realises the value of Tragedy is the one who understands that all the passions of life are guided by forces that either make for glory & success, or ruin & dishonor.
Tragedy saps the highest passions of Life.
Last of all I cannot help but remark upon the Unconquerable Enthusiasm of the French Nation.
No high ideal in life is ever reached without enthusiasm. Even the graces of the Divine Life are strengthened by the animation of the soul, & such a Law applies in National Life.
It has, & is being applied in the Life of the Republic.
And what a contrast are the deep thoughts & expressions of the soul to the flippant desires of an uneducated people.
France has been sternly educated & disciplined by the combined forces of war & circumstance.
True success depends upon the proper cultivation of the Soul having regard to the highest qualities of life.
No 4564 Name No 1 Platoon A Coy 5th Leicesters B.E.F. France.
The soul of men may have been made to express qualities of grace & sympathy, but there are times when the Divine Maker gives to the soul an impulse that would crush an enemy, & use every endeavour to win the fight.
Intoleration is a curse. Injustice is a sign of insanity & as such they must cease.
Human ideals must give place to Divine ideals & passions of lust & hatred will & must find their end in disaster.
My final word is – We are out for Liberty & Freedom & in our hearts we believe in the righteousness of our cause & with our Allies we will enthrone Freedom & release the enslaved & the weak.
I remain
Your Very sincere Friend
J.W. Brotherhood
Pte J.W. Brotherhood
S.P. My address is in the middle.
To Rev J.W. Walters M.A,
I give you full liberty to use my letters for any purpose you wish.
.J.W.B.
In envelope addressed to Rev T.W. Walters M.A., Vicar of Whitwick, Whitwick, Leicestershire. England
Letter postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 138. 22 MY 16
Passed Field Censor 2574 in hexagonal cachet in red.
The Bay Museum & Research Facility 