The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-10-26

(Ry Haywood Brounr N. Y. Tribune)
Rheims, Oct, eb-"L 'Eclaireur de
rEst" has no humorous column. no
editorials. no sporting page and no
dramatic reviews, and yet 1t Is prob
ably the most difficult paper In the
world to edit. The printing shop
stands just behind the cathedral OF
Rheims, and the chief reportorial task
Of the staff Of 4fEclaireur" 10 to
count the number of shells which fall
into the city each day.
1t is not a difficult assignment The
reporter can hear them all from his
desk. and many he can see, for the
cathedral, across the street, is still the
tavorite target of the Germans.
Sometimes the reporter does not
have to look so far. The office of
IL Eolaireur" has been hit eleven
times during the bombardment and
seven members of the staff have been
killed, Ore big shell fell fair in the
composing room and wrecked all the
linotype machines, and so now the pa
per is set by hand.
1t is a single sheet and the circu-
lation is limited, for only 5000 or
1000 civilians have stuck to Rheims
Throughout the shombardment. Many
more stayed during the early days,
despite the rain of shells, and the
children went to underground schools
in great wine cellars of the town.
Presently, however, the Germans be-
gan to put gas shells into the city,
and then came the exodus. The few
who are left dwindle, for there are
daily civilian casualties in the city. {
/ We arrived in the city at noon, and
after lunch at a far end of town,
which is almost out of shell range,
we went to the office of IL Eclaireur. +"
The editor met us and explained that
it was very quiet day. Not a single
shell had fallen in the city since mid
night, he said. He was decidedly
apologize about it. The reputation
| of Rheims was only under a temporary
cloud. for no sooner had we entered
the newspaper office. than the guns
began and thirty shells fell within the
next hour. One was certainly not
more than two hundred yards from
the office. but the work went on with
out the slightest interruption. Indeed,
a copyreader whom we saw at work
never once looked from his tack. He
was the only copyreader 1 ever met
who merited upstinted admiration.
| In the next room printers were set
| ting ads, They were mostly of houses
which might be rented for next to
nothing, They, too, showed not the
slightest trace of being shell shy
But if there was any one in the visit
! ing party who felt uncomfortable he
! was unwilling to show 1t, for just out
side the door of the newspaper Office
| there sat an old lady with a lapful Oh
i fancy work A shell came from owe.
the hills, and in the seconds while Il
whistled and then smashed the ole
! lady threaded her needle.
| A day later, when some of us were
| willing to confess that of all misera
! BILE sounds the whistling of shell
was the meanest we found a curiou.
| kink in the brain of every one.
1t was the universal experience tina
| the slightest bit of cover, however
Inadequate. gave sense of safety gu
| Of all proportion to it's utility. Shui
| we all felt much more uncomfortable
| in the square than when We stood il
| the composing room of the newspaper
which was shielded by the remains o.
a glass skylight The. same curious
| psychological test can be found among
| soldiers at the front. Again and again
men will be found taking apparen
/ comfort in the fact that half an incl
| OF tin roof protects them from tn,
1 shells of the Germans.
| One ia ALWAYS taken from fF,e catI,e