Bisbee daily review., 1918-10-16
Tue Mayor Of LaOn


 When the glorious French tri-color was run to the top of the spire of the city hall at Laon last Sunday the mayor of Laon was not present to witness this inspiring event And why was this aged and worthy man not there to take part in the ceremony and re- joicing, that signalized the restoration of Laon after more than four years of bond age? Why, the Germans had taken him and six hundred of his townsmen with them when they hastily evacuated the city. Now why, pray, should these devils have taken these old men away from their homes? What possible military object could be served by this crime? Driven along the roads like cattle; taken away from their prison home just as the flags of their deliverers gleamed through the smoke clouds of that Sabbath day, these civilians were hastened from bondage to bondage. Why? Simply because the Germans AXE devils. There Is no other answer so simple, so comprehensive and so true.
 And when the brave and flashing Gen eraI Mangin and his French troops marched, into Laon and the people came out and cheered and laughed and cried and even kissed the rifles of their hberators, and fell on their knees when the tri-color kissed the light of victory morning from the city hall flag staff, ah, where was the old mayor ot Laon2 With gray locks flying and pended head and trembling knees, he and his SIX hundred martyred townsmen toiled on east ward along the terrible roads choked with the debris of defeat and crowded with vengeful, beaten and cruel beasts. Pity them and their fate If ye have tears, prepare to shed them now for the mayor of Laon.
 St. Gobain Forest, the most .impregnable bulwark born of modern war in all the bat ting of four years in the west, was taken without the loss of man or the firing ot a shot; Laon, the city impossible, and its pla- teau of defense and its forts and bastions and trenches and supporting lines that had nocked the greatest efforts of the French ln- four years of vain assault, were taken Sunday without stop, hindrance or loss. But wait! There was price. Foch's gallant armies did not pay it. no, 1t was paid by the mayor of Laon. The Huns dragged this old man away as the only visible token be- sides loot of their having held Laon. They took him like the barbarians of old took non-combatants to torture, kill and make sport for the women and children in the huts at home.
 Let us not, in this hour of triumph, for get the brave mayor of Laon. It there no way by which he can be saved? Is there to be no retribution for this act? Nentre St. Grisl Let us press on to Mannheim. this German town incarnate, and there let us siege the burgomaster or mayor and six hundred of his townsmeE, and let us say to the Beast of Berlin, deliver to us at once unharmed the person of the Mayor of Laon and his townsmen lest a worse thing be- fall the mayor of Mannheim and these others we have taken with him. And if this threat fails, let us press on yet further and take the mayors of every German city and the councilmen of these cities, clear up to and including Berlin, demanding at each capture the return of Laon's mayor. Let there be no stopping of our armed men until the mayor of Laon comes back to his own and views through brimming eyes the tri- color floating from the city hall of his own Laon. that bastion of France that has been redeemed Not until then will our triumph be complete and shine clear and without sigh or tear or blemish before mankind.
 When France sought peace after the dis