Omaha daily bee., 1918-08-11

| And it shall come to pass in the years to
come, when, in various parts OF, America they
are celebrating the Fourth OF July with BON
| fires and parades, some old soldier in the
| company-a battered old soldier, perhaps
with an empty sleeve to tell his story-is
| sure to pipe UP and say:
"Ah, this is all very we'll, but you should
have been in Paris on that Fourth OF July
back in 1918
That was the year when our Independ-
cnce day was first celebrated by all the free
Fourth | ever knew or ever hope to know,
Those who were in Florence and Rome
boasted festive fine. Yes, and at every
camp behind our lines at every port where
our troops were pouring in, at every town
and village in France, there were celebra-
tions
There were high jnks, too, in London,
with the king, bless his heart, fairly cheering
his royal head off at a fast, close baseball
game between the Army and the Navy out
Chelsea @ay-our Army, mind you and our
Navy. Then, it must have been no bad thing
to have been with the Yanks who celebrated
village OF Hamel, for you must remember
that the Germans had pushed their way quite
some distance into France that anxious sum-
mer
I'VE knew our president was speaking a
world d-famous speech at Mount Vernon that
day, and we guessed that old New York
must be fairly standing on its head with ex-
element. But all in ALL we counted our>
selves luckiest who were in Paris that day,
for Paris is the heart Of France and France
was the heart of the war
you did not have to read the newspapers
to know that there were going to be great
4 -, H. ots Il .,,t ttn a.
that began to hutter from every window
early in the week, in the extra greeting every
passing poilu gave us, jim the friendlier wave
and the sweeter smile from every girl in
France.
Certainly 1t was in the uproarous trucks
that came trundling into Paris on the night
OF 1.-The third, bringing fresh from Chateau
Tlserry-oh, you've heard Of Chateau Thier-
ry at school, have you?--well, bringing in
from there lot of bowling young hellions
who were so full OF jubilation there was no
keeping them under cover till time for the
great show to commence.
THE morning OF the Fourth poured all
Paris into the streets. | don't think ! ever
saw so many flags before. l don't think
ever saw so many flowers. I don't think
ever breathed air that was more a-tngle with
holiday spirit. 1t was wonderful, undaunted
Paris, holding out one hand to America, and
with the other swapping her fingers at the
German legions drawn up not more than 40
miles from her gates.
The morning papers all carried the news
that the millionth American had sailed for
France, and we could not help cheering, for
the early spring had known faltering weeks
when, in the bottom of out hearts, we won
dered if American were coming as fast as
France had right to expect.
II had been in Paris on that other Fourth
when a prophetic battalion of Yankee in
fantry marched in the parade, but then the
total number Of our troops in France was
rot more than $4,000. That had been the
Fourth of promise, this was the Fourth of
fulhlment. The newspapers hummed with
the tidings. and we were all so engrossed
we scarcely noticed that the old sultan of
Turkey had celebrated the day by passing
unto his fathers.
ITO begin with, there were great goings
on in the Place dIena, where, underneath
the statue OF Washington, they renamed the
Avenue Trocadero the Avenue du President
Wilson. And you knew for sure you were