The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-03-27
Sees Revolt IN Germany
Whe1, Soldiers Return
French Cure in Vivid Story Of German Occupation d
French Territory Tells Of lnhuman Treatment Prus-
- sian Officers rendered Men.

From q Staff Correspondent Of tn,
Associated Press. British Headquar
tiers in France, March 26.-via London
This IL the story Of the priest o
NOyennes. Monsieur lie Cure Caron
who stood today in the shadow Of thu
etiff hot walls Of his church, which hat
been fired by the Germans the da,
they slipped from his village perched
above the valley Of the Somme
Flashes Of passionate protest mingled
with spirit Of proud resignation ir
his recital Of the life at voyennes dur.
Ing the two and q half years Of Ger
man control---a civil Imprisonment,
which ended last Monday when
through field glasses from the loft OF
his presbytery the priest, who also was
acting mayor, saw four khaki clad
horSemen on the road and knew that
the Germans had gone and British re-
Lief was at hand.
A few minutes later French cav
airy patrol appeared and the allies had
formed new link in the pursuit Of the
common foe. Today the booming of
the.guns in the pursuit could Be heard
over a stretch Of so battle miles.
Hear No News.
The cure told how a few narrow
scars In the earth known as German
trenches. ribbons of barbed wire be-
hind them and a bit Of shell-t torn waste
called mo mans land" had isolated a
section Of the French people from their
country as effectually as il they had
been suddenly transplanted to another
hemisphere. He told how in voy-
ennes, women, children and old men
lived and toiled for the invaders in
utter ignorance of what was going on
in the world about them. just as other
thousands still shut within the Ger
man lines are living, toiling and won
dering today. They were told long
ago that their beautiful Paris was to
fall within a week and would be pill
LACED and burned. @
and the Germans added insult to M
jury. the old priest exclaimed. by pro-
nouncing it Paris instead of "Paree."
7ul'ied by invaders.
The inhabitants of voyennes SUBJ
mitted to enemy domination with
heads erect and patient calmness
that the Germans could not under
stand. I'VE would break your PRIDE"
Prussian officers declared, land make
you slaves. All France shall fall at
our feet"
Pale. drawn and old as was the cure,
nevertheless he seemed imbucd with
sudden reliant strenth as he raised
himself to his full height and con
tinucd.
II told them that never again would
France yield to such foe. They
tainted us and said they would crush
Europe in a few months. We REPLIED
that France would five five years and
more If necessary. Sometimes they
laughed scornfully at this. but lately
they could not contain their fury that
the war was lasting 80 long"
And did the people suffer much ?"
he was asked.
"Ah. yes" he replied. "Our food
did not last long. Then we had to
work for the Germans and take what
they gave us. Sometimes it was so
bad that even the cats refused to eat.
Then the Americans began to feed us
and that saved thousands of lives.
Our people are very grateful.
But let us not dwell on the physical
side today, but speak of the mental
and moral anguish we endured. for it
seemed like the span of hundred
years. II has loft us all but imbccillic.
! scarce can keep my vagfant thoughts
together"
Church Burned.
Last Sunday when early mass was
over. the German commandment at
Noyennes appeared at the churches
with party Of soldiers bearing petrol
cans. He bluntly told the priest that
he was tired of the war and as one
means Of bringing the end nearer he
was going to burn the church.
The priest thought it was cruel
Jest until he was escorted to his house
and held prisoner there. He was COM
PEELED to look on impotently while the
liquid was sprayed about and the
torch applied in a dozen places OF
all the ancient interior only the wooden
crucifix against the altar wall, by
some strange freak escaped the
flames.
Late at night, the Germans rode
away. Not another building in all
Voyennes was touched
German Spirit Breaks.
But" said the old priest, Il live to
see the German spirit break. A few
days ago an officer smet me in the
street and said:
Father. We are lost. have done
much in this war that rests heavily on