El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-10-24
.PARISFLO0DED
WITH WAR SONGS
AND PICTURES
Despite Crepe and Closed
Shops, Levity Is Not
Wholly Absent.
NO LOVE SONGS;
ALL ARE OF WAR

ARTS. France. Oct 2A-Closed
- shops and the wearing Of black
= give a somewhat sombre touch
TO the streets-not TO speak Of the
great unlighted patches at night-and
yet the general atmosphere is far from
sad. Ambulance cars roll rapidly and
unfortunately through the city, the Red
Cross floats over numerous hotels
and private houses. But these
signs Of the presence and the penalty
OF war are supported with philispny
and the firm assurance of victory
Cartoonist Continues Active
In the midst OF anxieties Paris retains
a certain gaiety. The war inspires the
caricaturist and the song-wrIter. IN
every shopwindOw are cartoons Of 1914
The kaiser and his soldiers are PAL
lOrled and the German nation ue-
nounced in scathing lines Here is
caustic satire on imperial ambitions,
there a mOrdant picture of German
cruelties. of women and children snOl,
of wounded butchered on the battle
field The triumphant side is rep
resented by patriotic groupings Of the
four allies Soldiers of France. En-
gland. Russia and Belgium stand be
meath their respective flags. their bay
attitude heroic and defiant
Everywhere are pictures of Dunn
anet, the typical French soldier
Here is a sentimental composition;
the last embrace Of the beloved one
before the departure Of the regiment.
The girl is an Alsatian. with the black
wings Of her distinctive headd-ess
poised like a giant butterfly upon
Then .'Piou-piou" symbolizes the
watchful army in picture OF liam
boyaut sort. He is standing as =
sentinel on the edge Of q forest
and his firm lips have just uttered
defiant 'On ne passe pas TO the foe,
darkly outlined against a cloud. il is
figure. kept set 1aunuly
on the head. the 1.-THE young body
in the blue capOt the ends
Of the red trousers tucked into top
boots.
Picture Postcards Everywhere.
Then there are the postcards Il
lustrating every phase Of tie war
The French descriptions are trans
lated into weu-intentiOned English
Thus we read
French manners in treating 2ris-
Oners."
There are English soldiers with camp
equipment, wireless outfit. and the
rest; Tommy playing with French
ehildren-thls 1aVOrite picture In
ish cavalry and English recruits al
-ernaring with amusing snapshots CT /
French gaiety in the trenches.
a new use has been found for the iron !
shutters Of closed shops; they serve !
IS lodges for the display Of picture /
Though wanting the animation that |
ordinarily reigns at the commence a.,
nenr Of the winter season. the Paris !
streets are not without charm. Nor !
10 they lack songs. that characteristic /
smile Of the French capital
These compositions deal chiefly with !
he war In cOurt-yards, in quiet I
corners, the singers, men and women,
raw crowds of WOrk-girlS 10 listen 10 I
heir ditties. some fiercely patriotic and /
,thers instanct with a plaintive sort I
# melody, suggesting signs and wo- /
mems tears.
Love Song Is Absent.
The love song, once so popular with \
he sentimental young person from the 4
Rue de Ia PAX, has no longer any
-Ogue. II is war, war IN different /
-eys, sometimes triumphant on The
-ey Of courage, at others melancholy
With half-defined fears They express
he anguish, hope, and hate Of a peo-
lie at war The apprehensions of the
ancee and the mother, the fierce JOY
Z victory, the bravery Of French sold
ars are the subjects Of these songs. /
hey celebrate the strategy Of favOrite !
enerals, the indOmitable ardor of the /
-Oops. Alsace and Lorraine open !
tide their arms to France; Ia viaiile
Russia, the Colossus. and /
elgium, small but intrepid. are linked !
18th France in an eternal entente
They are not masterpieces, these |
lnny little songs indeed the critical
-ould find them discOncertingly com
and as wanting in good |
lste as some Of the caricatures. which
re vigorous and even blashphemous in !
heir emphasis. But whatever the /
1ality Of the French and the nicely |
expression, they represent the I
0pular feeling and as such, merit the |
-tentiOn Of the historian. Poor IN |
SEPARATION and execrable in syntax. !
ley move the crowd, and they do not |
-etend TO be written for posterity.