New-York tribune., 1918-04-26
By Wilbur Forrest
Tribune Cable ,Serr;;ce

u SOet'tO OUOtC ACGTU2CC
FARlS, April 25.--Thc Germans aimed
'nelr now creation, the long range can
non, at the morale of Paris. The scien-
tiilc, calculating German mathemati-
clan Inquired out his range to a nicety.
HIS heavy shells. hurled from the
mouth of the monster gun, ascending
10 an altitude of eighteen or twenty
miles, where air resistance is almost
hli' struck Paris in accordance with
mathematics. But as the German has
often before made bad reckoning in
psychology, his long-range gun has
strengthened the morale of Paris to
such degree as to be almost equal to
the effect of Lusitania or an Edith
Cavell.
Competent students of war tcmper
nave agreed that Paris, standing three
years and half out of hearing of
cannon and spared incursions of hos
tile air craft, could show the poorest
morale of any city in France. Thew
feared the time when Paris would have
a tVte of real war. Then the Gothas
came along, and were later replaced by
the marvellous long-range gun. These
same students OF war temper will tell
you that the morale of Paris is
stronger to-day than it has been for
months.
Morale Is Strengthened
IT the French government had de-
signed means of boosting the morale
OF Paris they couldn't have hit on a
better scheme than doing little long
range shooting themselves.
The moral effect of Germany's new
gun has gone into every Paris home;
INTO INTO the government itself; into the
Chamber of Deputies, and even into
the trenches, far from the capital.
Beginning early on the Mornino Of
March % the Germans threw their
"obus de Tongue portes" into Paris at
n1teen-mlnute intervals until 2 o'clock
IN the afternoon. 1t did not develon
until after the bombardment ceased
that gun was the cause. Finally
ruled fragments of shells found near
the scene OF explosions determined
Though the bombardment continued
1he following day many doubling
Ihomases decrled the theory of cam
r, '6 INV ans from Denlnd the
German lines. Then the Germans
claimed 1T in an official communicate.
Later Ihelr newspapers admitted that
sclentlflc German brains had at last
found way to strike at the morale of
the easy going French capital.
AS if by design the German gunners
ceased work for few days and re-
oopened their shelling on Good Friday.
March 20, at which time the enemy
Knew good portion of religious
farlslans would be devoutly kneeling
IN churches during the hours Of the
oruclhxlon OF Christ. Again, as if
calculated, big shell dropped almost
perpendicularly out of the sky, shat
terlng one of the supporting Gothic
pillars holding the vaulted roof of a
medieval church over the heads of
hundreds deep in prayer. The pillar
was crushed to dust, the roof came
down and moment later tons of
stone had crushed the life out Of
seventy-seven worshippers and injured
more than one hundred others.
The hour of the catastrophe found
the Chamber of Deputies involved in
debate over the incorporation of the
1919 class into the army. The enor-
nous onslaught of the enemy to the
north for the roads to Paris and the
sea was not enough to sweep awav
determined opposition of the minority
Socialists. They were against any-
thing that had to do with war. Then
in the midst of political wrangling
came the news of slaughter Of the long
range guns.
The chamber Immediately and