The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-23
ny An AMERICAN DIPLOMAT ~
FRANCE.

CALAIS. France. August 3, 1914.
~ EAR DAUGHTER: The long
expected has come to pass.
Europe is in war. Last Satur-
day Transformation came
over France when the order for mobili-
zatlon was annAunced. on that day |
| was in Desores to attend 10 some bust
ness ] was at the Convent Villa st.
Antoine n 80 +. NJ. When I left the
Hotel du Cygne everybody was in doubt
and lncertitude, some optimistic, some
'pesslmistic as to what would be the
result of diplomacy But upon my re-
turn to the hotel from the villa ST.
Antoine all had changed.
a gendarme had Just passed through
the street by which | was returning to
the hotel and had announced tho mobili-
| cation general ] never saw such a
sight. The men were at work in the
us1ncs. Only the women and children
were at home Thus the women and
children knew what was expected of the
men. They were simply seized with the
sudden horror Of It, Some were crying,
others were standing looking vacantly
In the distance. Mothers with babies
in arms reflected in their faces the war
cloud that had darkened the horizon of
| peace. When one spoke TO them they
said nothing.
BY the time had passed through q
long street like this | could not resist
the tragic influence OF the moment.
From he long sad faces one could only
earn that IL was the mobilization gen.
| eral"
Suddenly several automobiles came
whiZzlng through the town. This added
TO the CONSERVATION. The only premo-
milton one had in the morning OF Satur-
day was the sight of some strange
officers here and there in uniform. What
Interpretation 10 put upon their pres
ence no one knew.
Soon the notices were posted on the
Mairies and the Guard dc Champet was
seen going through the old village with
a drum. He stopped about every hum
dred meters and announced tho appelle
30 arms. Wherever he went a knot of
children were seen following him. Those
too young to understand seemed to en-
10y Il, while those OF 10 and IL years
knew it's meaning and knew that papa
and brother had to go to the front.
These were crying.
| Slowly the men commenced to return
from their work and little groups wers
| to be seen everywhere. But strangely
no one seemed to say much. Now and
then one would see man lift his shout
ders and say I'll le faut."
left Desores for Calais Mt 1925 p. NJ
by way Of Boulogne. Going to the care
I saw everywhere in the little houses
and the cafes people filed with deep
emotion, but calm and reflective. The
women and children who were old
enough to know what had come to pass
were the most deeply affected, while the
men took 1t coolly.
What n change had come over these
| little households What a change had
come over those in the big fine houses.
The call had been made and lahorer
and proprietor were all in the same
boat This one had to 60 with his two
sons That one had 10 30 with his. II
reached every man under As and over
81. No one was exempt except those
too old or those too young.
on the train to BouloGne there was
man and his wife with their little son
OF five years The wife was in grief, as
she knew her man had to go The little
/ hoy was too young to know what had
happened. All ne knew was that papa
had 70 so to war without knowing what
war meant. The man cheered his wife
up as best he could saying, III le fault
! We must meet the enemy some time, and
now as well as ever. We can't he both
cred eternally by this difficulty" The
man held his hoy on his lap. one could
see that he thought lot moro than he
said.
Upon arriving in Boulognevillc sta
ton there were many people and much