The Semi-weekly leader., 1906-04-11

It was glorious fall evening in Par.
IS. We were seated in the club, or
the Boulevard German, discussing the
stirring events of the day. There had
Deen rumors and reports of disagree
ments between France and Germany
pen next. Both nations were on the
qui vive,. armed, mobilizing, ready to
light at the drop Of the hat.
Brangere, the. sculptor, drew up 9
small table and we prepared for a
game of the fascinating American pok-
er, which had just become all the rage
IN France. We had just dealt the
banker, Mongervai, former form French G am nv
bassador to st. Petersburg, and myself,
made up the party.
suddenly Latour. the correspondent
We're sparkling. Latour's eyes always
contained a message of some kind.
Have you heard the latest?" he in
No. What has happened?"
War is dec1ared?'
we Jumped to our feet in astonish-
Mutual insults have passed. Yhe
Germans have burned the French am
bassador in effigy. The French retail
ate by hanging a dummy. Kaiser. The
streets are full of mobs, all of one mind
Germany must back down. In Ber-
lin the people are swarming the
streets, demanding that Germany
stand upon her dignity. So there you
have it,
"And what from the War Ofice?"
asked MongervaL
Latour. bent over our table and fair
~ hissed the words: 'The Germans
have already invaded France. They
are swarming across the frontier. And
oh, the shame of tive are not ready.
There !; are no troops in the field. It
the littleness, the selhshness, the
greed of the commanders and the min
istersv'
always tragic. Our game was forgot
ten. We looked at one\ another in
dumb astonishment. For none knew
better that we the unpreparedness of
mighty power of the enemy, her teem-
ing population, every man of which
had been trained to carry gun, to
shoot, to obey orders. And the Ger
recalled a pronouncement of the Ger
man General Staff in 1905, when they
said: I'VE shall impose on the French
winter campaign. Our soldiers, COM
ing from the cold regions of the north.
will march toward temperate cli-
mate, and the advantage will be alto
gether ours.'
Latour left us on his chase for news.
Our party was broken up. The i'm
pending crisis was too much for us
'I shall go to the front and gather
material for a wonderful group-the
dying Generalissimo,' said Brangere,
throwing back his broad shoulders.
'9The French will win," said Ouv-
funds-as much as they may need
without charge, for the sake. of my
beloved France And here he lied,
for I knew that he would demand in
terest to the last sou.
"Adieu," said Mongerval. 'I go to
the President. I shall urge meditation,
and I, myself, shall be an ambassador
to arrange terms" He withdrew
grandiloQuently.
1 was left alone-I, James Adams,
q plain American of adventure, to per-
form part of which had then NO
It is dangerous in France, or In
Germany either, for that matter, to be
secretive. Suspicious are sure to be
aroused If your business is not well
known and openly stated. Therefore
it was well that was allied with large
American manufacturing firms, with
offices in Berlin, Hamburg, Paris and
Calais. In France I was careful to be
French in sympathy and outspoken,
too. In Germany I became a Teuton
to the core. In addition to this ready
adaptability, 1 was personally ac-
uuainted with the French and German
rulers, had excellent German connec.
tions, and was well known in Belgium,
Holland and Italy. And inasmuch as
1t often became necessary for me to