In the American press French views of the great war’s significance have been less common than British views and far less frequent than German views.  Therefore, this talk with M. de Lapredelle, Exchange Professor from the University of Paris at Columbia, will have especial interest.

This very distinguished Frenchman, although but 43 years old, has won high eminence in his native land, especially in the domain of international law, which is his branch at the University of Paris.  Also he is Directeur de Recuel des Arbitrages Internacioneaux, he is the editor of The International Law Review in Paris, he is a member of the Committee on International Law for the French Department of Justice, he is a member of the French Committee on Aerial Navigation, he is General Secretary of the French Society of International Law, and he occupies other important posts and bears other important scholastic honors.

He is a cautious conversationist, as might be expected of one who has so deeply delved into the most cautious of all professions, but in the mind of the thoughtful reader this should add to the value of his utterances, which, as expressed in the following columns, were carefully revised by him before going into type.

I asked M. de Lapredelle to estimate the great war’s probable effect upon education.

“Of course it is too early to guess intelligently,” he replied, “for the effect of the war will be dependent entirely upon the results of the war, and, while we of the Allies have no doubt of our ultimate victory, it is the fact that victory has not been won as yet by either side.

“In talking with you my impulse is to assume what I feel in my heart—­the certainty of German defeat, but I must not do that, although all the letters which I get from the front and from Paris express a growing confidence in the victory of the Allies.

“But it is too early to attempt intelligent detailed prophecy as to the effect of the great struggle upon the world’s philosophy, or upon any other phase of its intellectual development.

“Almost certainly, however, a reaction against certain Germanic influences will be apparent after the war ends, for the world will not want ever to risk repetition of the horrors of this struggle, and it will be plain that they were the inevitable fruit of Germany’s attempt at intellectual domination.

“This German assumption was due, largely, to their victory in 1870, but it went far beyond the bounds of reason, far beyond the fields in which German achievement really had established legitimate supremacy.

“The momentum of victory often has led humanity into excess.  It led Germany into excessive claims of social superiority and into an excessive assumption of intellectual supremacy.  Even in the eyes of others it gave Germany an unwarranted intellectual prestige.

“Really, the German is not a big thinker; he is an immensely careful thinker.