Evening star., 1914-10-04

an enormous task we had taken up, for
no one dreamed in that day that Paris
would lie locked fast in siege for long
and bitter months. The German govern
ment did pay the actual advances made
by Minister Washburne to German citi-
zens, appropriating s37,5OO for that pur-
pose. But the real expenses of the work
were borne by the government of the
United States, and of this Minister Wash
burne wrote, November IS, 1870, to Sec
retary Fish:
Il was glad to know that the depart
ment conceded with Mr.. Bancroft and
myself in the opinion that all these eX-
penses should be paid by the United
States. 1t would certainly have been un-
worthy of a great government like ours
to permit itself to be paid for hospitalities
extended to the subjects of other ma
tons. for whom our protection had been
sought.
when. in accordance with your direc-
tions in July last, I took upon myself
the protection of the German subjects in
France. I had but a faint idea of what
the undertaking was going to Involve,
for / had hardly supposed it possible
that I would be charged with the care
and with the superintendence of the de-
parture of more than 10000 people, ex-
PEELED from their homes upon so short
a notice. From the time of the breaking
came known that the Germans had been
placed under my protection, you can
well imagine, considering so large a
population, what would take place in
to be crowded from day to day by per-
sons desiring protection, advice, infor-
nation and assistance. Many were
thrown into prison, charged with being
'Prussian Spies many were under ar
rest as dangerous persons. and the lives
and property of others were threatened
in their neighborhood. My good offices
were sought for and cheerfully rendered
IN all such cases. and I believe I never
failed in accomplishing all I undertook
in such emergencies The first extra
ordinary order of the French govern
ment. prohibiting all such Germans from
leaving France who might by possibility
owe military service. and about which
had so long correspondence with the
Duke de Gramnont, created great
alarm among large number of them
who were extremely anxious to get
away. The practical operation of that
order prevented any German from leav-
ing French territory without special
authority to that end. first had and OBJ
tained from the minister of the Interior
and all applications for such authority
all this was changed. and the expulsion
Of the Germans decreed, it was required
that I should wise the passports, or give
a laisser-passer to every German leaving
France.
ct have spoken of 10000 as the num-
ber of Germans placed under my pro-
lection, and who were expelled from
France I make this estimate from the
number of visas and passports which I
gave out, and that number as recorded
in the legation. amounts to 5000 In
the rush and hurry of business there
was no record made in many cases. and
it is entirely safe to say that the whole
number of visas and passports going
through the legation amounted to not
less than 5000; the larger number of
these passnerts included the husband,
wife and children. 1t is moderate esti-
mate to say that there was an average
of three and one-third persons to each
passport That would make the 10000
souls"
Besides it's high place among the
bloody wars of all times the Franco
Prussian conflict made for itself a par
ticular nlace in history because it
marked for both of the helligerents the
birth of a new government. For the
French it marked the end of the second
empire and the birth of the third re-
public. For the Germans it marked the