South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-09-08
LOCAL MEN RELATE
EXPERIENCES ABROAD
J. Alvin Scott and Dr.. HutChinS
Return From EurOpe-CIeV-
er Girl Secures Passage
Back Home.

] Alvin Scott. who left Misha-
waka July 9th for New York enroute
To Europe where he intended 10 spend
several weeks seeing" Paris and 9TH
er cross pond cities. returned home
Sunday Mr.. scott landed in America
Aug. Is and spent several days visit
ing with relatives and friends in the
east before returning 10 Mishawaka.
Mr. Scott in relating his expert
ences during the past several weeks
said: we suffered no hardships
while in Paris and returned on the
Espagne enjoying all Of the comforts
and pleasures Of first class passage
which we were lucky enough to Sc
cure through the cleverness of an
American girl who was stranded like
ourselves in the French capital
ARRIVING at Havre on Friday, the
Gay before war was declared. we went
on to Paris without any knowledge Of
the conditions which we're awaiting us
on the morrow While three days out
Of Havre our ships wireless operator
picked up a message which stated
that war had been declared between
Austria and Servia. When we arrived
at Paris we went direct 10 the hotel
where we learned that the mObiliZa-
ton Of the French army had been Or
dered and the following day Sunday,
the city was placed under martial
law. After making arrangements at
the hotel on Saturday for our stay in
the city. we started on a sight seeing
trip OF Paris
when in front Of the barracks
where the official announcement of
the mobilization was posted / expert
enced the time Of my life. The streets
were filled with excited men shouting
at the top Of their voices ON TO War ,
War has been declared. etc" while
others were singing the Marseillaise.
A quiet life by the st. Joe is pre-
ferable to that 80 minutes. although
there was no hostile demonstrations.
Paris from that Saturday on was a
place of great excitement although
on the Sunday when martial law was
declared and the several days follow
ing IL was a place of comparative
quiet, considering the conditions
After o'clock I'm the evening the
streets were almost deserted and the
city was as quiet as any country vii
lage. In the day time. thousands of
troops appeared about the city during
many Of them coming from distant
cities and village.
at all times we could visit the
great exhibition palace and see
thousands of recruits being drilled.
This building. the hotel people told us.
would accommodate 2S9.0 900 men and
5000 horses in the basement. Prac-
tically all preparations for war from
the Paris end were made at this
building.
"All kinds Of airships were a com
man sight over Paris and the sky was
always an interesting sight during
nay stay At night the officials swept
the heavens with powerful search
lights from all points of the city and
it was claimed that an airship flying
2,00o feet cor possible higher could be
detected.
The Parisians were greatly in fear
Of the Germans from the air and
the tense nervous strain was so great
that one night during a severe cleo
tricai storm hundreds Of residents
rushed TO the streets fearing that the
city was being bombarded by German
airshiDs. My only apprehension dur
ing my stay in Paris was brought
about by an announcement in one OF
the papers that SeCy. Bryan had given
permission for all German-American
liners TO arm and prepare for sea
fighting This Of course would have
made our passage 10 America dan
Eerous However. the day following
an official denial Of this statement
was made and from then on / had lit
tie fear.
Accommodations i'm Paris were
not as bad as one might expect al
thougl. terrible stories were told by
Americans who had been caught in
the interior. At our hotel conditions
were almost the same as I'm time of
al IL.
were forced To go out TO cafes for our
meals. Prices were reasonable for
food and at the hotel we were able
TO secure "a splendid meal for six
francs, $i20 Later the prices were
raised to over So and we searched
else where 20 eat as not only the prices
went up. but the food got worse. We
found a quiet little cafe just across
from the Paris theater where we
could secure almost as big a meal as
at the hotel for 60 cents
We experienced considerable trou-
BILE on our arrival IN France 20 cash
our checks, although we later Cashed
at 10 per cent discount on 10 pound
notes. We were also forced 10 Sc
cure papers from the American con-
sulate before we were allowed the
martial freedom OF the city. although
we were never forced 10 display them
During ms stay ] wore small
American flag pinned to the lapel OF
my coat and my attire at all times
was strictly American.
con our voyage over we were lucky
enough tC make the acquaintance % a
real American girl After landing az
Havre we lost all trace of her until
some friends OF ours i'm Paris notified
Us that tAey We're entertaining a guest
whom we met on our way over On
investigation it proved 10 DE the
young lady. She told us that she
was a school teaci from New York
and she had saved AT enough money
IN two years 20 visit ner old home In
France where she vaS born How