The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-10-31

This evening we left the theater
the sirens were but beginning their
weird cacophony. The laughing Dleas-
ure-sated theater crowd paused,
turned from the directions their
home-rouee had started them and
wended steps towards the nearest
abris. There were few eiacula-
tons but never a note Of fair. Rather
a groan that the Metro Subway
service might be stopped for some
time to steal away sleep.
The two chaps I was with and
headed for subway station refuge
and waited developments. About the
entrance to the "holer were two or
three little groups talking and occa-
sionally glancing up in the sky.
Once in while a single air craft
gun would bark. The light talons
CROPPED in the sky, but excitement
was not forthcoming.
We stroIied down the boulevard
and over to the place de ROpera,
where is one OF the largest subway
stations in the city, in fact the hub
OF the underground system as well
as of life in Paris.
Talks with their feeble pair Of yell
low eyes of oil lamps, swung up
to curbs and stopped, forming i'm
mediately the nucleus Of gesticu-
iating crowd, chattering and arguing.
The first come is not the first serv-
ed with Paris taxi-cab driver. His
prices on the night of the air raid
rush up and up, for Gothas are like
the men behind a bear movement on
the stock market. Too, he is a par
ticular cuss. If you are not going
his way, you simply do not ride and
that is all there is to it.
| e. Arguments End Quickly.
We watched one cavalier fatty re-
fused, another try by higher bid to
turn the nose of the taxi, and then
threaten to turn instead the nose of
the driver Others fatty refused to
pay the price, and the driver bided
his time. These affairs are quickly
settled for the arguments generally
end by some party or parties foot
balling through the crowd and into
| the cab, regardless Of life, limb or
expense.
OF course. these taxi-ists are the
| people who have money and want to
get home. The average Partisan is
| content to stand around outside the
| refuge waiting for something to hap
pen.
In July, 1917, I made an automo-
bile trip through western North Da-
kota and Montana to the Yellow
stone Park. We passed hundreds Of
prairie dog towns. ! have thought
Of them with each air raid have
seen, for the Parisans are exactly
OF the temperament of the prairie
dog or the common field gopher
which sea mpers and scurries to the
entrance Of his subterranean domi-
cile at tl7n approach of danger, then
sits I';f-- Gf up on launches and
watches the object Of his fright ap-
proach or pass by, ducking like a
flash into safety only when the
thing comes too closely.
The "Abris" or refugees often form
social eanters. Friends meet, speak
Of the raid and launch into intimate
conversations. Acquaintances are
formed, everywhere there is laugh
ter, while the poor chaps that are
girl less content themselves with the
charms of Lady Nicotine for one sees
countless number of cigar and Gig
arctic ends glowing in the dark
ness.
Down below stairs in the subway
waiting rooms, the same little groups
gather seeking the light there and
too, shelter from chilly winds. On
one occasion saw a group of elder
ly men whose game of cards was
broken up in hotel nearby. open
UP the folding board table with its
omni- present red carpet cover, and
unconcernedly continue the play, ig-
noring the good natured banter or
the unsolicited advice OF onlookers.
In fact the Parisians adopt much
the same attitude to an air raid that
a young Jew did to the ''Rosh Has
hona" Orders were sent out that all
Hebrews in the United States service
who could be spared from the duty
they were on should have three days
for the celebration of the Jewish
New Year. This chap in question ar
rived in Paris and crawled onto the
back platform of an omnibus which
was bearing us office-ward one NOR
ming. He asked us questions and
finally offered:
"Me, / got it permission to come
to Parrus to go to de synagogue.
Believe me, it's a He'll Of a place !
been in. Parrus is there amt she?
I'm glad we got it holiday for
cIldrch. Say, d'youse guys know
what's best burlesque show?
Anything But Pleasant.
DO not gain the impression that
an air raid is but an incident incon-
sequentaI. An air raid is anything
but pleasant at times. There is
always the uncertainty of what may
happen. 1t takes lots of nerve per-
haps a lot OF training through four
years of war-to bring about an una
nimous attitude OF unconcern and
spathy, but an air raid doesn't scare
Paris. What it does after all, is to
inspire additional hatred, If such is
possible, for the enemies who have
plunged the world into turmoil; to
fortify the spirit of the French in
their determination never to quit I'M
til the enemy's power at least is
purged from the earth Of peace which
is to come; and to add to the urge
that has made the French army win
victory after victory, or accept de-
feat only after Eeroism and self-sac-
rifice meier equalled in the history Of
the war,