The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-04-20
RAIDS ON PARIS
add TO FRENCH
HATRED OF HUN,
SAYS Il. ]. ALLEN
People Are Adjusting
Themselves To Visits As
To The War
NEWS REPORTS
ARE FORBIDDEN
American Red Cross Now
In Work Of Rescuing
Bomb Victims
(By Henry ]. Allen)

(By Henry j. Allen.)
Paris. April THE Paris people
are rapidly adjusting themselves to
air raids just as they have adjusted
themselves to every other trial or
war. During the first raid OF this
month, which was the second raid
Of this year, ] observed that in the
darkened streets there was much
silence. People went hurTying for
nearer cover; when they reached the
abris they talked in low tones; with
sober faces. Tonight I went out in
the midst Of the raid, which the Ger
mans were putting on in honor Of
the arrival OF Secretary Baker, and
there were people everywhere. At
the door OF the Crillon hotel where
the secretary lived was a mingled
assemblage Of French and Ameri-
cans, talking, laughing and some
what Internationally ignoring the
rsid-although they stayed quite
near to the big doorway.
Everybody Swas asking how the
secretary, who remained in his room
upstairs, was standing the strain,
and the assurance was that he didn't
seem to notice il, that he remained
busy in conference with an Ameri-
can general. About IL o'clock he
w
tel and remained until the raid was
over.
Citizens Affect indifference.
The air was full of the cracking
of anti aircraft guns, sometimes there
was a heavier crashing sound and
the building would tremble, men
would look at each other, try to re-
member where they 3eft on CONVEX
sation; then they would resume
somewhat with that air OF patience
obviously tried which one often
adopts in the face Of trivial Interrupt
ton. 1t was all a brave pose; 1t was
MAGNIFICENT nonchalance, good for
the morale Of those who witnessed
II.
During the raid went into some
newspaper correspondents TO the Of
flee OF a leading Paris morning
paper. We wanted TO know what
damage was being done, where the
deadly bombs were falling and how
many people were being killed out
in the dark buildings, where, hud-
died and helpless, women and chill
dren waited for the welcome sound
Of bugle which would announce
that the raid was over.
1t was a 25-minute walk from the
Crillon, and the hour was near mid
night Some people were coming
from theaters, talking in normal
tones When you bumped suddenly
into someone in a dark shadow there
was laughter and apologies and good
natured balinage. The sound Of the
explosions was always in our eaEs,
and somewhere the bombs were fam
ing and shell splinters from anti-air-
craft guns raining.
Newspapers RepressiVs.
I was full OF anticipation Of the in
formation we would soon possess at
the office Of the morning paper.
knew Of the reporters who doubtless
had been scurrying in every direc-
ton for two hours, and who would
even now be arriving breathless,
with their partial lists Of the In
jured and the dead, the dramatic
Incidents, the tragedies and the
more colorful notes which would IL
lustrate the great story OF the
nights wraclx. BY the time I got
there their typewriters would be
busy. the city editor would be issu-
ing sharp, terse orders. Out In the
composing room they would be talk
ing about ''naa1eups," ''spreadsG'
leads and '1ayouts." A boy with
ink on his shirt, ink on his trousers,
ink on his nose, would be standing
in front OF a desk waiting for copy.
lit would be a center OF gravity at
which the great story would be pill
ing ND line on line, exclamation point
on exclamation point and the build
ing wiuld be throhbtng with that
eager. ordered rush which precedes
a big extra"
When vie arrived II was calmer
than a summer pond In a still night.
There were no reporters coming IN
In the jump, no terss orders. no INK
decorated copy boy. We went up
winding stair to a quiet ONCE where
the editor IN -chief was looking over
some essays which viii eventually
appear n-his esteemed columns. He
knew there was a raid on, but ne
didn't know what damage had been
done. His curiosity was not aroused.
In good time the ofdcial communique
would come from the govermment
saying that there had been a raid
which had done some material dam
age, caused some injuries and a few
deaths" The communique would
state that in day or two full par
iculars would be given out
News Reports Forbidden.
It wouldn't do any good to send
out reporters, because the paper
couldn't print the details. Even II
It were wise to leave out the literary
essays and the parliamentary dis
cushions for the news. IL wouldn't
be allowable or customary. The
French editor regretted 81 Of course.
but the subscribers didn't epXect the
news, SO the editor must do the best
he could with substitute brands. lie
talked beautifully about French pole
tics. made philosophical observa-
tons about the war, rs though ia
were 5000 miles away But Of the
fearful thing that was rocking Paris
at that moment he spoke briefly ana
dismissed 10 az q casual episode.
When we visited later q place
where q bomb had fallen we found
suffering human nature wearing no
mask. Calmneas had dlaappeareai
there were frantic women and chile