New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-05

not only the work Of the government
but the business Of every man. woman
and child in the country. There is no
business as usual" here. War is the
business of France.
On July 6 | talked to an Englishman
who knew the conditions in his coun-
try, about the preparations the govern
ment was making for the defence OF
London. and he said to me, but won't
France help us OUT" A week later !
talked TO a Frenchman on the same
subject and he said: "The Germans
will never get to England by way OF
Calais. If the English can't hold them
back from Calais the French will
The two sentiments are typical, and
they tvpify. also. the difference be-
tween London in war time and Paris
i'm war time In London. to be sure,
one sees the streets full of men in
Fhak. They are everywhere, in the
streets. in the hotels, cafes, theatres,
tearooms. saloons. Companies. battal-
ions and regiments are marching
through the streets all the time,
usually with bands at their heads and
seeking recruits. In the beginning of
the war one saw regiment after regi-
ment of recruits in multi. but now one
sees recruits comparatively seldom.
That is only natural after 100000
men have been recruited by voluntary
enlistment.
But the feature that one notices all
the time in London. and after months
of il it becomes intolerable. is that
rarely does one see a company or regl-
ment marching with rifles. When
battalion does appear with rifles II is
a subject Of universal comment. Over
in the courtyard of Somerset House.
though. one can watch all day long men
drilling with the dummy wooden rifles
the Ulster Volunteers were being
trained with year and a half ago 10
resist Home Rule.
Walk London Streets.
In Paris one also sees the men in
uniform everywhere. There are far
more OF them than there were before
the war, but far fewer in proportion
than one sees in London. France has
more men with the colors than has
England, but Frances soldiers are UNI
der arms at the front, while England's
are walking the streets of London, still
waiting for rifles after a year of war.
Then one meets men and officers in
Khaki in every saloon and bar in Lon
don, but in Paris there is a notice
posted in each cafe and on each ter
rasse that soldiers are not allowed to
enter them between 10 a. m. and p. m.
These soldiers of France are worth
talking about, too. 1t would be dull
spirited creature who would not grow
enthusiastic over the regiment OF Zou-
ayes | saw in the Champs Elysees on
the 14th of July. Bronzed and hardy
veterans they were, with red fezes,
blue TUNES, leaving throat and neck
bare, baggy red trousers, soiled and
war worn and gathered in tight around
the ankles, and over their shoulders
their rifles, ending In eighteen inches
of cold steel la Resale. They passed
at the quickstep the Zouaves always
adopt on the march, and their chins
were thrust slightly forward, as though
they were eager to get into the fight.
They had formed part OF the escort
for the ashes of Rouget de llsle, the
author of the "Marseillaise," from the
Arc de Triomphe TO the Invalides. 1t
was the only official celebration of the
great national fete of July ID, and 1t
was a celebration both pathetic and
inspiring -inspirioE as illustrative of
the spirit of the French in this war.
! went with the crowd along the Rue
de Rivoli and across the Place de la
Concorde to the Champs Elysees, thence
to the great place where the Avenue
des Champs Elysees joins the Avenue
Alexandra III, leading to the Pont
d'Alexandre III and the Invalides. But
first we stopped before the statues of
Lille and Strassbourg, side by side in
the Place de la Concorde.
A year Of war and instead Of regain
ing Strassbourg the French have lost
Lille. But no, the French do not ad
NIT that they have lost Lille. The
statue of Lille was banked with flow
ers and crowned with a great French
flag, while the symbols of mourning
have disappeared from the statue of
Strassbourg and in their place are the
flags of the Allies above the familiar
shield with its motto. give la France.
Quand Meme" And through the crowd
ran the murmur, "Quand Meme" as
fresh flowers and wreaths were heaped
about the statue.
Then on to do homage to Rouget de
llsle, after 1875 years once again a
national hero in another war for lib
erty. That was Frances celebration
Of July l4-to reincarnate Rouget de
l'Isle, as the nation had been reincar-
mated with the old spirit of the Mar
seillaise."
All Paris was gathered for the occa-
sion, all Paris not at the front. but it
was strangely different crowd from
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