The Washington herald., 1918-07-28
.y JOHN L sALpEnsrox.

lied people to realize the tmpor-
tancs Of Paris. and not consent to
its sacriies or jeopardy. whatever
the peril might be elsewhere. was
voiced In an interview here by n
Albert Thomas, the French Social
ist leader and former minister of
nunitions- For both moral and ma
terial reasons. n Thomas believes
that the safety Of Paris il necessary
for cur victory.
-Parfs," he said. 'is the symbol of
everything that the German people
have been taught systematically to
hate and be jealous of in French
civilization. The German burns to
humiIiate IL. to dishonor IL. to mas
ter u IN some way. Paris h the
perfect flower of all that Germany.
with its application. labor. method
and industry, has failed to create.
The German ofieer as well as SOL
der is hypnotized BY Paris. the
more 20 because. In 1914. the Ger
man army on the Marns was defeat
not capture It. What sort OF prepa-
rafions and preponderanee of
numbers failed to give them. they
now hope to accomplish by the in
tensive labor OF four years.
Hope to Destroy Paris.
They feel that they cannot actual
1y carry the city, but, in default Of
possession. they are determined to
AFFAIR of May n, q French captain
who had Been captured during the
retreat succeeded after several days
in escaping. He knew German per-
fectly, and had questioned his cap
tors. Are you going to get Paris?
he asked them And the reply was,
No; but We want to get close enough
TO have 1t under our guns. We can
then force France to make peace
Some Of the Germans even outlin-
ed the plan The cannon would be
brought up, and then Germans would
say, Either negotiate or we will de-
stroy such and such q quarter II
the French refused. one section Of
the town would be laid in ruins. then
another. and 50 on. There Is nothing
new IN this plan In 1914 they had de-
cided to take Paris and destroy II
quarter by quarter until France ac-
eepted peace.
The underlying psychology is suf-
hciently sound. The Germans know
how attached the French are to their
capital No Frenchman can remain
insensfble to the thought Of the de-
struction OF Notre Dame and the
Louvre by bombs or shells. Paris oc-
cupied, or bombarded. Is bound to
have great influence on the course
of the war, even though not decisive
Nor is the possession of Paris sim
ply to be Judged from the moral or
symbolicaI point of view. j; to save
civilization it were necessary to sac
ri1ce Paris. Frenchmen Of clear per-
o. 3
standing their mortal distress. But
Paris Is still an important military
point. II IL we:o occurred by tine en-
emy, our action would be crippled.
IAN roads Ieai t. Paris As regards
roads and railways, this Is very cor
venient. but such GENERALIZATION has
often been criticized. Also. the whole
economic life OF the country concen-
trates there. However. one NAV re-
gret it. Paris IS the great turnta5ie
for all French lines OF commun ca
ton 1t would Se possible, perhaps,
10 supply the front by nIGans of mo-
tor Iorries and subsidiary lines if
Paris fell. but it would b. extremely
dificult.
Center for War Material.
Nor Is this all. Paris is the great
center for war material. Perhaps 1t
Partisan industry, which might have
been transplanted to The hearc of the
country, to the Loire or to Lyons.
But you could never transpo-.. as II
by magic. the whole Of the laborious
and intelligent population o. Paris.
And Paris Is the center Tor army re-
serves. and army workshops, because
of its position. Everyone, including
the enemy. know that the engines for
aeroplanes are largely made in Par;s,
either in big suburban factories or lit
tie workshops.
But precautionary measures can be
taken In case OF a reverse, the idea
is to organize rapid evacuation. and
the output Of the war factories will
be as little affected as possible. But
the real remedy Is to avoid disaster
by defending Paris from q distance.
We must keep the German armies
away. This Is the more necessary be-
cause we cannot extend our front,
with our limited electives, until the
Americans arrive in still greater num-
bers. and since the episodes Of March
q and May y our troops have hac
to occupy many more miles The
longer the front the more divisions We
must place there. and the more We
must spread them out. The line Ii
become insufficient.
THUS everything urges the enec-
tive defense OF Paris; not merely her
historical souvenirs. not merely the
life of the country, but strategic
reasons.
The defense Of Paris 10 not q
French question, but an inter-aliied
one. II is by the cooperation Of al
that the city can and must be de-
Tended. II the enemy leaves Us nc
time to complete the trench wors
with the few men at our disposal. then
the allies must send US their labor
battalions and provide Us with re-
sources II II II necessary to make
some sacrifice and abandon some
ground at . certain point. as linden
burg did last year. II must not be at
the expense of Paris. The destiny of
the war, Of liberty and Of civilization
is at stake on the old soil OF the
capital.
'syerdsrn stood tast II resisted un-
iii Il was liberated by the powerful
counter offensive of the allied forces
on the somme. Paris also Will hold
fast, and Paris viii remain inviolats
II an the allies throw IN their forces
and utilize them scientifically. Then
viii come the victory"
Espiena<e Rife In spain.
The German espionage system in
Spain has reached such proportions
and adopted such insolent and high
handed measures In dealing with the
Spanish authorities that steps are de-
manded to abate the nuisance. The
scandal OF Bravo Portillo. superinten-
dent Of police at Barcelona, who Is
o1oriv acrf1sad Of havin1 a. n Gar-