Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-26
KING OF THE STREETS
Authority Exercised by Mon
sieur Lepine in Paris.
RULED CITY FOR TEN DAYS
From THE Day of Fear" Until After
the Elections.
HOW HE MAINTAINED ORDER
Prevented Workingmen From Rioting
and the Apaches From Wholesale
Commission of Crime.
HOW HE MAINTAINED ORDER

Special Correspondence OF The Star.
PARIS, May a. 1905.
The streets Of Paris have had a king-for
ten days only. He was hastily put into rule
on the night preceding May 1-now looked
back on as THE day of fear''-the date on
which the mighty General Confederation
of Labor TO inaugurate its famous
direct action" to Obtain an eight-hour
working day by 'manifesting' with 100. 600
workingmen. And autocrat of $4,000
troops and 1900 police and republican
guards, he held the streets of Paris for ten
days through an incipient general strike.
l cannot exaggerate the fear we had-fear
of mob violence, fear of revolution. Four
hundred million francs In gold were rushed
TO Belgium for deposit. How much went
to London and Geneva will never be known
Ten thousand automobiles fled TO the
country. Respectable folk locked them
selves in their houses. No vehicles were
on the streets. Shops were closed And
the whole population laid in Good till there
were no more hams for sale Thousands
filled their bath tubs against a water fam
Inc Thousands bought lamps, fearing gas
and electricity might be cut Off Live rab-
bits and chickens We're bought for killing
MILK cows We're installed In courtyards!
Amid terrifying rumors the king of Paris
streets took up his sway. He is Monsieur
Lepine. project of police, the little man with
the big stick the dread schoolmaster OF
the Paris proletariat.
Demanded Absolute Control
You ask me to hold Paris without blood
shed?' he said to the present workingmens
frtend-GoVernment. There are 100000
workingmen who may be led into disorder
but there are particularly 10000 Apaches
loafers and criminal toughs. who Will at
tI,of
police and republican guards. The govern
mept has allotted $4,000 troops from Paris
Versatile and other garrisons The thing
can be done-despite the boosted organiza-
ton of the general confederation. But, I'M
derstand, l will have no generals put over
me. Give me absolute commander l re-
sign
Do you know when London was last oc-
cupied by troops? Probably during the
Lord George Gordon riots in the eighteenth
century. And New York? Ii was during
the draft riots in 1852 1t is strange
sight-a capital miitarily occupied" Paris
saw it, in certain quarters. during the Drey-
fus affair; but the last general occupation
was when this same Bourse de Travail
(labor eNchange) was temporarily closed by
the government In 1898.
1T is like London on Sunday"
Tourists, looking fearfully from hotel win
eows. made the observation The Parisians
caught 1t up. The papers published il.
Like London on Sunday''-yes all the mel
nncholy was there, but not the majesty.
The London brand is of the goddess sage
and holy, hail, diyinest melancholy! Sober,
steadfast and demure, with the publcs
opening at their accustomed hour. Here IL
was the melancholy OF sadness-Paris IN
disgrace.
On that day Paris had but one UNIQUE
sight FOR the eye-au over the city. every
few blocks. were to be seen the same de-
tachmeuts of infantry and dragons
saw them hehipd the shrubbery of the PARE
NonCeau, In the courtyard of the Grand
Opera: around the Arc de Triomphe: under
the Eifel tower; in the Place of the
Bourse; in the Gardens of the Tuiileries.
Hidden Troops.
Aad those we saw were little In compari.
son with what were hidden. They utilized
the courtyards of all the local mayors of,
fees. the police posts, the national palaces
the ministries, the courtyards OF great corn.
panies Five days after. when the trou-
bles were supposed to be subslding. 1 saw
Goo acknowledgements hands start suddenly
TO "nlanifesting" around the Maillot gate
the entrance to my own suburb of Neuiily
opened Printania summer garden. Rata.
plan. Plt-a-plan, Tara, tara, Ia
r-a-a-a l jumped a yard to hear the
drums and bugles! The doors of the sum
naer garden flung open. and out trotted
hundred Dragons that none of US dreamed
had been hidden there for five days past
You remember how the Japanese marshal
Cyama, directed battles from his bidder
hut ten miles away? Monsieur Lepine
seated by his telephones at the prefectur,