The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-02-13
War Puts a Heavy Dafnper on the
European CarniuaI Seasons

shrove Sunday, which falls this
year on the day dedicated to st. Val.
entine, will not bring to southern
Europe that spirit OF miSh and merri.
ment which usually marks the carni-
val season In the Latin nations. Paris
will not echo to the joyous S:.outs OF
millions Of merrymakers engaged In
that Joyous farewell to the flash"
which usually characterizes the days
preceding Ash Wednesday and the be.
ginning Of Lent. The market queens
of the ACCOMPLISHMENTS will not en-.
Joy their brief reign over enthusiastic
and admiring subjects. The street
cleaners Of Paris will not have to
cope with veritable mountains OF con-
fetti. For France is at war, millions
of her ions are at the front, or in
the hospitals. prison camp and
graves. Under such circumstances.
France Is in no mood for the exuber-
ant celebration of Mardi.Gras. Paris.
ians will welcome Lent as more in
keeping with the terrible sS-rit which
now broods over Europe. For France
and even more so for Belgium, Shrove
Sunday ushers in a week Of religious
observances without the preceding
carnival.
If I'aris Is grave and somber in the
next few days, a fortune dedicated to
the god Of mirth and -Shter, even
more SO, by contrast. W.. De the city
Of Nice. The tens Of thousands Of
pleasureloving people who. in hap
pier years. flocked to the Riviera to
witness the great spectacle provided
by the Niceans. have been replaced
by sick and wounded soldiers Of the
republic. and many OF the great no.
tells along the Riviera have been
transformed into hospitals. Nice Is
in mourning, and the greatest OF oil
the Mardi.Gras carnivals has bacome
a memory.
In Italy, Spain and Portugal the
dark shadows cast by the clouds OF
the European conflagration will
doubtless dampen the ardor OF the
carnival season festivities. j. is diff
cult to be happy and ga: when ones
neighbors are fighting for existence
and the spirit Of mourning which per-
vades neighboring nations will be re.
Elected In Rome, Lisbon, Madrid and
Florence, former centers Of Mardi.
Grass merrymaking.
The impressively beautiful re.
ligious o~bseryances which mark
Shrove Sunday In Latin Europe will
doubtless attract vast crowds. Whila
the war has had the effect If confirm
ing agnostics and atheists in their OPP
position to Christianity, and has been
used as an argument for the futility
cf II ligion. 1t has also caused crTis.
tians to cling closer to thu cross Of
their faith. In fact, o1a result Of
the conflict which has bcen little
commented on is the manifest ten.
dency, especially marked in france,
to drive men to assume a definite
stand on the subject OF religion, The
millions wavering .on the fencs' BE.
tween Christianity and unbellef have
now taken their stand upon n side
@. the other. The Catholic church has
gained a multitude of enthusiastic
adherents In France and other Latin
countries, but It has also gained many
enemies. open and avoved, who were
formerly noncommittal as to their
religious views. AS has been the case
for many years, the unbelievers are
in the ascendant in France, and prac.
tically all Of the heads OF government
are allied with the anti,ahurcn party.
OF all the nations engaged in the war,
It Is noteworthy that France alone
has not Officially invoked henedic.
ton of the Deity upon her warlike ef.
forts.
In North America the carnical
spirit finds It's most extrayagant Ok.
preston In New Orleans, where the
French population have kept alive tue
old traditions, and the enterprising
business men have contributed to-
ward making the spectacle attractive
to visitors from all over the contin.
ent. Several other American cities
have carnivals on a smaller scale.
Mardi-Gras, however, is typical OF the
Latin races and a warm climate, and
the carnivals which mark the obsery.
ance are largely confined to that part
Of the world where Winters reign Is
mild and benefcent.
sHRovE TUESDAY PANCAKES.
OF the many ancient customs con.
uected with the observance of the
days preceding Lent, few have come
down to us. but the Shroye Tuesday
pancake is still an institution in many
families. While pancakes are con.
stdered rather plebeian, and have
been denounced by doctors as tend!
ing to indigestion, very few people
are able to resist the lure OF Q plate
Of hot brown cakes.
The pancakes which will be con.
Btmed next Tuesday morning by mil.
lions Of Americans wfl1i be somewhat