Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-08-25
DID mot WELCOME WAR,
BUT ARE PH|L0S0PH|C
Sentiment and Patriotism Of French
People Depicted by Jackson
H. Ralston.

That the French did not welcome war,
did not want it and would have done
anything in reason to avoid 1t, is the
declaration of Jackson H. Ralston of the
firm of Ralston & Richardson, in this
city, contained in letter to his partner
from Paris dated August 10. Mr.. Rails
ton is in the French capital for an in
definite stay along with several thou
sand other Americans.
Nevertheless the French have accept
ed war with a calmness and sobriety
which must have astonished their best
friends" he says in his letter. There is
no excitement, no wild displays of en-
thusiasm, but businesslike way of do
ing everything.
The theatres are all closed from neces-
sity as well as from choice. for the ma
jority of the actors are in the army.
Perhaps three-fourths of the stores are
closed for like reasons. On the Rue St.
Honore, one of the best streets. in one
block / counted thirteen out of fifteen
stores with the blinds down. AS typical
of what one sees everywhere Is the sign
on a nearby book store announcing that
the five brothers Paul are serving under
the flag, as are all the clerks, and the
store is closed till after the war.
Take Philosophic View.
"The fearful men and women so
often seen the first few days have
disappeared and every one seems en-
tirely philosophic.
notable. A few days ago l saw in
front of police station at least 500
Germans and Austrians reporting to
the police SO they might be sent to
them no special attention, manifest
ing little curiosity even. 1t is true
that some nights ago a lot of prom
1nent German stores were smashed up,
but apparently this was by rough
f, element, quickly put under control
las a foreigner I had to obtain a
i certificate from the consulate of my
nationality and then report to the po-
lice station of this vicinity to obtain
I what. is known as permits de Sc
jour-, together with what is called a
laissez- passer," so that when occasion
arise I might leave Paris To obtain
this ! stood for eight hours in crowd
or several hundred persons-Americans,
English, Spanish. South Americans,
Russians, etc.-and then had to return
the following day. My papers are now
all regular. so l may stay or go, as 1
please. or rather as opportunity arises
may say that even Americans may
not now enter England, and our hope
of return depends practically on the
goodness of our government NV re-
turn passage, which was by the North
German Lloyd, is of course of no i'm
mediate value. ] am taking all this
as easily as may be. inasmuch as there
are about 1000 other Americans in
Paris similarly situated.
Firm Cashing American Checks,
Meanwhile We are not suffering any
particular hardship, at least so long as
our money holds out. In this connection
/ may say that Morgan HAYES & Co
are cashing American checks They
charge about 10 per cent for this, but, of
course. are taking chances.
Our food supply-or that of Paris
has become somewhat limited in variety,
although this is likely to change as soon
as mobilization is entirely over Eggs
have gone up. so our hotel proprietor
tells me, from to cents apiece and
butter to 40 cents a pound Milk is
scarce and the amount to any one house
hold is limited.
"Of the war I have no doubt you know
more than we do. The news we get is.
l have no doubt, correct but very much
limited by the censor We learn of
French successes in Alsace and of Bel
gfan at Iiege. and with this the French
| spirit is rising. No one wishes to con-
clude the war without the restoration of
| the lost provinces, while no war would
have been started for them.
1.-The sympathy of every American l
have met is enthusiastically with France
Americans here are seeking to enter the
army, and number of our women
| report for Red Cross work. Mrs. Lii. an
| old Washington and Hyattsville friend
of my wife. is working to assist the
| French soldiers, and there are many
others.