The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-03-21
sP1R1z or xzz PRESS.
Editorial Opinions ofthe Leading Journals
upon Current Toplos-compiIed Every
Day for the Evening Telegraph.
PARIS UNDER THE MOB.

From the ". Y. Tribune
The National Guard which was to preserve
order in Paris has turned traitor to the Gov
ernment, and threatens to involve all France
in civil war. Such deplorable consequences
have followed more trivial riots than that of
Montmartre. The painful and disappointing
story of the disorders which distract Paris
and the excesses which involve the republic
in ruin is told at length in other columns.
Briefly summed up, it reveals that mob is
practically in possession of the French
capital; that the National Guard re-
fuses to maintain the Government, and
that only a weak police saves the MEM
bers of its Executive from hasty flight.
The Guard and mob have fraternized;
the former has basely surrendered its officers
to the latter, and three of them have been
condemned by the court-martial and shot to
death. while others have been murdered by
the mob General Palladines, its commander.
is q prisoner. Although originally confined to
the suburban districts of Belleville and Mont
martre, the rioters, since the detection of the
Guard, have advanced into the heart Of the
city, and have seized the headquarters of the
Guard in the Place Vendome. In a word,
Paris is completely at their mercy; and al
ready cries out for aid from the provinces or
the Prussians.
The immediate cause of the uprising was
an untinely if not an unwise effort on the
part of the Government to disperse the mob
at Montmartre, led, as we are left to infer,
by Blanqui, Flourens, and the other violent
and active "Reds" lately condemned to death
for contumacy. The designs, and indeed the
leadership of the mob, are not very clearly
revealed by the reports or by their action, but
violent opposition to the Assembly and the
Government which it has created has been
developed. 1t is this hate which evidently
inspires the mob, and it rushes blindly to the
destruction of all semblance of government
and of order. There is no power Of argument
which can reach the rioters, and no military
force remaining in Paris which can suppress
Them and the scenes which are now enact
ing, and which must follow, cannot we'll be
other than revolving, cruel, and disgraceful.
The Paris journals call upon the provinces
or the Germans for aid. 1t is difficult to say
which authority will be exercised or which it
would be wisest to invoke. The appearance
of Gardes Mobiles at the gates of Paris would
incite civil dissensions, which, arraying Paris
against the rest of France, would naturally
lead 10 most deplorable consequences. The
issue of such conflict would for time, at
least, be doubtful, and Paris would suffer
more from her own sons than she did from
the Germans. A sufficient body of the latter
would make the struggle short and decisive,
and though government which calls upon
the Prussians for its maintenance must suffer
in popularity by such degrading action, it
seems likely that M. Theirs is left no other
alternative The Germans are interested in
maintaining order, if not the government, in
order to secure their indemnity, and any call
upon them for aid will doubtless be promptly
answered AS indicating such willingness,
their retirement has already been discon-
tinued.