The San Francisco call., 1903-12-03
PARIS STIRRED
BY DREYFUS CASE
Much Bitterness Caused
by the Governments
Course.
Many of the Principal Figures
in Famous Case Have
Passed Away.

PARIS. Dec 2.-The six members of
the Dreyfus commission assembled to-
day at the Department of Justice.
While M. Durand, the president, says
the commission did not take up the
Dreyfus case to-day, no doubt exists
that individually attention is being CIV
en- to it, as all the documents have been
transmitted to NJ. Durand. A meeting
of prominent Nationalists to-day dem
onstrated that they are bitterly antag:
onistic to the action taken by the Gov
ernment. Former War Minister Cavaig-
nae accused the Government of dis
turbing the peace of the country by re-
viving an affair which had been made
an instrument for civil discord, and as
serted that it was useless to interpret
late the Government on the subject be-
cause the Ministry was too strong.
General Mercier the former War
Minister. who is regarded as the chief
accuser of Dreyfus, has issued from
comparative retiremenk from public life
as Senator from Loire-inferieure, and
has affirmed that everything he has
read in the Government newspapers re-
garding Dreyfus was untrue.
The bitter tone of the Nationalists is
an indication of how the actual taking
up of the case to-day has revived ali
the old animosities and bitterness of
the last ten years. Intense feeling is
shown throughout governmental, politi-
cal and army circles. The universal
/ theme of the newspapers, clubs and
society is that the revival of the case
will again bring out prominently the
leading actors in Dreyfus' degrada-
tion. Some of the most striking fig
ures, including Zola and Colonel Henry,
are dead. General Mercier has ceased
to exercise influence in the war admin
istration and never speaks in the SEN
ate. General de Boisdeffre. former
chief of the French staff, has practi-
cally been retired, as he is on waiting
orders and has no active command.
Colonel Du Paty de Clam has retired.
but he continues to be an active fig
ure. Count Esterhazy has become a
pitiful parsonage. He has left the
army, was divorced in 1899 and lives in
London. General Zurlinden. former
Military Governor of Paris, has retired.
Most of the officers favorable to Drey-
fus have been disgraced, in one way or
the other.
Colonel Picquart has become a
Partisan newspaper man. Joseph
Reinach, leader of the campaign for
the revision of the Dreyfus trial, is no
longer a member of the Chamber of
Deputies, but continues to conduct a
literary campaign for Dreyfus' full
restoration to the army. M. Reinach
came out to-day with strong inter
view in behalf of his friend. M. Bris-
son, who first demanded a revision, is
now a member of the Chamber Nj.
Loew, president of the Criminal Cham
Der of the Court of Cessation, has
retired from the judiciary and directs
the affairs of the Legion of Honor. Al
Though there is no present purpose Of
recalling the witnesses, the testimony
which these persons will, give in case
the court requires their presence is
occupying much attention
General Andre Minister of War, has
forbidden all officers and civilian en-
ployes of the War Office to discuss the
Dreyfus case, even within the premises
of the Ministry.
According to the Gaulois a new the
ory has been advanced that Dreyfus
was merely the accomplice of the real
traitor. who is to be screened because
of his close relationship to we'll
known Dreyfusard and because of his
former intimacy with person who
once held a high position.