t it--Germany, meanwhile, granting interviews, taking war
correspondents to trenches and up in balloons in the campaign for
neutral sympathy.

France, or, rather, General Joffre, for his is the first and last word
on the subject of war correspondents, gradually decided to combat the
German advertising.

Only he decided to go them one better, as I hope to show. There have
been several trips, all tryouts. I was informed at the Foreign Office a
month ago that when the representative of so important a paper as THE
NEW YORK TIMES was to be taken to the front it would be for a more
important trip than any up to that date--that I was to be saved up for
such an occasion as I am now privileged to describe.

I propose to give as few names of places and Generals as possible,
first, to meet the wishes of the personal censor, who is the same
officer who escorted me throughout the trip, and, second, because I
believe general facts relating to the morale of the French Army and
their prospects in the Spring campaign will be of more interest than
specific details concerning places where the lines have been established
for the past six months.

From scores of letters received from America the first question which
seems to arise in the minds of neutrals outside the war zone is, What
are the prospects of the Germans taking Paris when the second great
phase of the war is really under way? First, let me admit that a lurking
fear that the Germans might penetrate the lines had caused me to make
certain arrangements for the hasty exit of my family from Paris as soon
as the Spring fighting began. I am now willing to cancel these
arrangements, for I am convinced there is no danger to Paris.

The German Army, in my opinion, will never for a second time dictate
terms of peace in Paris. I feel that I am in a position to make the
statement, founded on an unusual knowledge of the facts, that should
German ambition again fly that high they would need at least 3,000,000
men concentrated before the fortifications of Paris--these in addition
to the enormous force to oppose the French and allied field armies.

The defenses of Paris since the city had its narrow escape before the
battle of the Marne present one of the wonders of the world. Not only
has Gallieni's army intrenched the surrounding country and barb-wired it
until the idea of any forward advance seems preposterous, but every foot
of ground is measured and the exact artillery ranges taken t