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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



the area occupied and the peoples assimi- 

 lated are unparalleled, so also are the ab- 

 sence of bloodshed and the success of 

 pacific and tactful methods, Electoral 

 reforms in progress look to minority rep- 

 resentation. The intricate and oft-decried 

 system of rewards and decorations exer- 

 cise a stimulating influence in various 

 fields of human effort — greatly to the ad- 

 vantage of the nation. As to philosophy, 

 the late William James said : "Open Berg- 

 son and new horizons stretch forth on 

 each page that you read," 



Nor should the most marked of French 

 failings be unnoticed. The national peril, 

 alcohol, against which the Ligue d'Alarme 

 is striving, with its subtlest agent — the 

 body - weakening, mind - destroying ab- 

 sinthe ; the untaxed distillation of raw 

 brandy, defrauding the revenue and ruin- 

 ing the peasantry ; the antique tax on 

 doors and windows ; the growing disre- 

 gard for law ; the rise of sabotage and 

 labor struggles ; toleration of gambling in 

 various forms ; the growing extravagance 

 of public officials and the diminishing ef- 

 ficiency of governmental administration 

 in business ; the increasing regulation of 

 labor ; restrictions as to business methods, 

 and encroachments on private industries — 

 these are problems not foreign to Ameri- 

 can conditions, and their adjustment will 

 interest those caring for social progress. 

 It is striking evidence of the growth 

 of individuality in France that the clamor 

 and pressure for public employment have 

 very materially diminished in late years, 

 a tendency that would be welcomed with 

 us. 



THE UNCHANGING I^RE^NCH SPIRIT 



An American traveler can no more 

 comprehend France than can the Euro- 



pean, who traverses our vast regions and 

 visits different communities, hope to 

 know the United States. Nevertheless 

 the opinion is hazarded that France of 

 the twentieth century is experiencing a 

 recurrence to that state of intensely hu- 

 man and idealistic activity which more 

 than a century since caused it to support 

 the American colonies in their Revolu- 

 tionary struggle. 



Nor does it appear that the present 

 status of that progressive people can be 

 more concisely set forth than by here 

 utilizing another's description, which 

 shows that the French spirit is always 

 the same throughout the ages — and in- 

 deed is it not the spirit of aspiring hu- 

 manity everywhere ? The extract is from 

 a memoir on Rochambeau and Washing- 

 ton, written by an honorary member of 

 the National Geographic Society, the dis- 

 tinguished French Ambassador. 



In his delightfully clear and concise 

 style, M. Jusserand says of France in 

 1780: "An immense aspiration was over- 

 whelming France for more equality, less 

 privileges, simpler lives among the no- 

 bility, less hard lives for the mass of the 

 people, more accessible knowledge, un- 

 trammeled discussion of matters of the 

 common weal." 



Such are the aspirations of the France 

 of today, and public opinion — more and 

 more powerful from day to day — is grad- 

 ually impelling her legislators to accord 

 fuller freedom along these lines. If these 

 phases of French aspiration are so ideal- 

 istic as to forecast ultimate failure, as 

 hostile critics assert, she will contribute 

 in the future as she has in the past to 

 the world-wide dififusion of aspirations 

 and experiences fruitful of good for op- 

 pressed humanity. 



