Evening star., 1914-10-11

3.
rice, and some say peas and beans
form part of this admixture. 1t is
sad sight to see the long queues at all
all the cafes the notice to their Gus
toners that they must bring their
bread with them. The mairies are ra-
tioning very small quantities Of horse
meat. a little rice, beans, peas, and oc-
casionally herring and Goldfish. The
quantity of coffee, sugar and wine is
sufficient for the siege, and can be had
at enhanced prices
Il
At last, January 80, came the fall of
Paris and relief. But there was worse
to come. The siege of Paris, with all
it's horrors, had been but a quiet pre-
lude to the reign of terror which fol-
lowed the fall Of Paris. The German
troops marched in, and then marched
out again almost over night. Until the
middle of March, 1871, Paris found her
self slowly recovering from the effects
of war. The ratification of the treaty Of
peace, however. did not bring tran
guilty. Instead, the paralysis of busi-
ness in the capital, with its terrible
accompaniment of unemployment, bios
somed quickly into revolution. The
insurrectionary movements gained
their impetus. SO fast that by March 19
the government of President Theirs
was compelled to fee from Paris to
Versailles. The national guards were
the masters of Paris. The insurrec-
tionists routed every branch of the re-
publican government and ordered an
election by the commune" The gen.
erals of the troops who tried to stay
the anarchy were murdered by their
soldiers.
hA OF ff1yof
worse, and the government installed
by the commune inaugurated reign
of terror" which Minister Washburne
described in most vivid detail In dis
He sent Secretary McKean of the lega-
tion on a tour to protect the American
and German citizens. whom only the
American flag could save in this peril
One vivid touch of terror figured in
his dispatch of March %. when he told
how Secretary Mexican and two COM
panions found a tribunal of the com
mune dispensing life and death in
basement chamber of a prison.
1T was between and 9 o'clock at
night" he wrote. They were ushered
into little dark, dismal room for the
purpose Of obtaining permission to see
the prefect. Here a most extraordinary
spectacle was presented. The room was
densely packed with soldiers of the
most sinister look. A court-martfal
was being held. Three desperate and
savage-looking men. in the uniform OF
officers of the national guard, were
sitting at a small table in one corner
of the room. which was lighted by
diminutive oil lamp that stood upon
the table. Before this terrible tribunal
was arrafgned a respectable-appearin
young man in citizen dress. AS they
entered the tribunal was upon the point
of pronouncing judgment, but in the
confusion it was impossible to hear
what it was.
-
the young man and the intense agony
in which he appeared to be, they had
but little doubt that his sentence was
death. He was Immediately taken in
charge by four soldiers and hustled
out Of the room. probably to be shot.
Finding themselves in such crowd.
they did not dare to make any in
quiries in reference to what the sem
tence really was. Mr.. Mexican went to
the prefecture the next day and while
brought In. charged with wearing a
badge of blue ribbon. They were Inn
mediately sent down to this self-con-
stituted revolutionary tribunal in the
very likely to be condemned and shot.
1t is only by visits like these that the
world will ever get an inklfng of the
terrible atrocities which have been
terror"
Each day found the American minis
ter and all Of his stan busy visiting
prisons to secure the release of Ameri-
cans and Germans. Apparently their
tours were most successful and the Of
fcers of the commune released prison
ers for them with little formality. In
several instances even French Sisters
of Charity who had been imprisoned
were released at the ''unoficiar re-
quest of Minister Washburne. Mr..
Washburne also devotes pages to ac-
counts of what he calls the vandalism
of the commune" in destroying public
buildings, monuments and precious
works of art. Finally. in the. last week
of May, the government at Versailles
triumphed and crushed the commune
beneath the iron heel of the sword.
Among the episodes that figured n