The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-09-06
RURAL French
GET NO news
Only an Occasional Traveller
Lets Villagers Know How
the War Is Going.
PATRIOTIC CLOCK STOPS
Mayor Says Village Timepiece Re-
fused to Run Again Until 1t
Heard of French Victory.

Paris. Sept. 5-During these exciting
days. when the Germans are reported
victorious along the northern borders Of
France and the history OF 1870 to a great
er or less extent Is being re-enacted. the
French peasants in the outlying depart
ments are as ignorant Of the situation,
almost, as II they were In the heart OF
Africa.
In the provinces there are no news
papers and no telegraphic communlca-
ton The military Is in supreme control.
The peasants know nothing Of the war,
save for rumors that filter from Paris.
and fragmentary information that comes
in long delayed letters from the soldiers
at the front. The interior OF France,
so far as news is concerned, has returned
TO the Middle Ages. The peasants are
clamoring for authentic word OF what
is happening
Encourage Optimism.
So far the war officials have done moth
ing to answer to the pleas, save to discour-
age the pessimism Of the alarmists who
are spreading exaggerated reports OF
German successes IN the north. The Of
ficials are DESTROYS that no attention shall
be paid to the calamity howlers'' VINO
are frightening people everywhere with
stories Of Germany's entry into the cap
dreds Of refugees to hurry into Paris
from the north and at the same time
have made Parisians seek refuge else
where.
One rural village in Central France Is
typical Of the situation everywhere. OF
the total male population Of 200. two
thirds were modified and are now on
the firing line. There are Ioungers in the
sunny market place. but not the usual
oil
old women. and cripples.
The young women and the boys are al
in the fields, doing the harvest work that
Is usually done by the abIe-bodied men.
The situation makes one realize. even
more than in excited Paris that France
is AZ war and her sons away al the
front Old DANES knitting in the sun.
one-armed veterans Of the war Of IST0-
the village oracles-drop everything when
traveller comes through and crowd
around him TO learn the news.
Ignorant of England Aid.
They have no newspapers, no Telegraph
Even their letters. DELAYED for many
days. contain only a few lines that he
writers were still alive when they were
written. The men al the front know little
more than those at home save wha-
happens in their immediate vicinity The
news that England Is al war shoulder
TO shoulder with France against the Ger
mans is not a full certainty-only a hope
in the rural districts. The news given TO
Paris by the Official bulletins is lacon!c
enough, and il does not get beyond
Paris save by word Of mouth
In one town II is reported that the
hands OF the village clock remain at the
hour Of FIVE. though the works are still
running and the chimes ring the correct
hours. The mayor was authority for the
story that the order TO mobilize came at
o'clock and the patriotic old timepiece
refused to move It's hands again until
a French victory should be reported
Everywhere one notices the extraor-
binary scarcity OF cash. although the
money stringency in the south was part
~ relieved BY the action Of the MarseiI.es
Chamber Of Commerce. which issued
S+oo,60o in To- -. and 70 cent bills Lyons
is contemplating a similar issue
Some idea Of how money is being
boarded NAV be gathered from the state
ment that IN one town the local. branch
of the Bank Of France issued S5aON1 n
silver which entirely disappeared from
circulation within one week