Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-27
THE BURLESQUE WAR.
Extremes to Which the French Go in
Raving Over Their Army.
THE FIGHT AGAINST LOHENGRIN.
Paris People Are Getting Angry With the
Ardent Bicyclers.
WHAT THE MOTHERS-IN-LAW SUFFER
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DISPATCH

| CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DISPATCH.1
PARIS Sept. E.-We have had no lack of
! things to talk about in Paris the last week.
Everybody with military bias-and a
Frenchman without one is hard to find-has
been watching the game of war which the
French army is playing in the West. Around
the cafe tables you see groups with large
maps spread before them hotly telling what
should, or should not be done. Paris loves
a spectacular play and this mock campaign
is bigger thing than even the destruction
of Pompeii.
France has brought together the greatest
number of troops ever concentrated in time
of peace, she has fntrusted them to her best
generals and has ordered that they eat,
sleep, march, fight, fall, succeed, as they
would in actual warfare. The army is play
| ing the role with enthusiasm. There has
| been deal of hard realism about it. One
| day the soldiers were even obliged to go on
| half-rations. They take it seriously, even
| feigning wounds or death. The story is told
! of one soldier who was carried in from the
mock battle and who played his part so
| naturally that village priest ran up to
| offer him religious consolation. Many
! practical suggestions have resulted already
| from the maneuvers, but none so practical
| 1t seems to mo, as that of NJ. de Freycinet,
Minister of War, who said in his address to
| the army: "No one doubts that we are
strong, let US prove that we are wise"
A Race of Babies.
Can these people prove that they are
wiser One doubts it when he is in the midst
/ of such convulsion OF folly as seized a por-
| tion of the populace when 1t was announced
| that "Lohengrin'' would be given at the
| Grand Opera House on the 11th. A deliber-
ative American cannot resist the suspicion
that after all that this is not q race of men,
but as an irate Englishman expressed it, of
babies. The German opera of "Lohengrin"
member, for presentation here, but because
Of violent demonstration by German
haters was ordered Off by the Government.
1t was thought that the public temper was
has been prepared with care. AS the time
approached for the representation many
signs of anger we're noticed, but the Govern
ment allowed the opera to be advertised for
last week.
Immediately an agitation was worked up.
The leader of the opera received threaten
ing letters, and, it is said, stood at his post
at rehearsals, revolver in hand. The audi
ente was notified that it would be driven
out by the discharge of sulphurettcd hydro
gen gas. 1t was darltly limited that Nine.
opera. and members of the Berlin Wagner
ian Society would be present. 1t was not
stated what they would do The agitators
lett that to our imagination. AS no paper
could be found to espouse their case, bulle'
tins were issued in which in the blackest OF
type it was told how:
"rhe National Academy of Music, sup
ported by the French people, is going to
apotheosize Richard Wagner"
"Wagner, the base insulter Of France, Is
about to conquer us in our own house"
1--WE are going to assist, at our own ex-
pense, in the glorifcation of German
genius"
"What a feast there will be at Berlinrr
"What will our friends at st. Petersburg
think OF our frivolity, our faithlessness?"
Under the force of the excitement the
Government weakened and put up a bulletin
at the Opera about noon of the day of the
tion, saying that MI Van Dyck,
who was to take the part of LOhenQrin, was
seriously indisposed, and that Robert le
Diable" was to be substituted for 'Iohen-
grin"
Behold the fine degree of centralization
Government has attained when at its word
opera singers can develop sore throatsl In
spite of the bulletin, there was strong feel
ing that "Lohengrin" would be given, and
the disgruntled kept up commotion the
entire afternoon and evening. AT o'clock
l found groups of excited takers gathered
about, and noted, too, that where the word
"Lohengrin" appeared on the bills 1t had
been mutilated spitefully. The police pre-
vented serious disturbance in the crowds of
the evening. Once the cry was raised, as an
old lady passed through, that "here was
Mother Wagner" and the poor woman was
hustled about .alarmingly until rescued by
the police. "Lohengrin" was not given then,
but, thanks to evil-hearted people, it came
later The best people and the press do not
sympathize with this agitation, and have
turned the tables neatly by calling attention
to the fact that MeyerDeer, the author or
"RObert le Diabe," was born and buried at
Berlin, and that he also wrote operas hostile
to France