The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-05-07
Disorder In Paris
French Blood Flows in Streets.
One Death Results

Paris, May (By the Associated
Press)-Serious disorders occurred
| today in Paris on the occasion of the
celebration Of May day, French blood
! flowed in the streets, and weapons
that so lately had been used against
foe were turned against friends,
! brothers and sisters.
1t is providential indeed, that num-
J erous deaths did not follow the at
! tacis and counterattacks by the
mobs on the one hand and the police
and cavalry on the other.
Particular efforts were made by
the nlobs to invade the place de Ia
| Concorde and reach the chamber OF
deputies and the war ministry where
demonstrations had been planned. I.
was in these attempts that the casual
| ties occurred. Long live the poilu'
| the crowd shouted at the Madeleine
and in the Place de la Concorde, as
they surged toward the soldiers and
with pale, drawn faces the infantry
withdrew and allowed the mob to
! reach the Place de la Concorde
against wall Of pitiless policemen
and determined cavalry.
Then shots rang OUT. One police
man fell moaning, slightly wounded
but trembling with fear. The cavalry
charged and along the Rue Royale the
mob wavered back toward the Made
leine church. Here and there a man
or woman staggered, fell and remain
ed motionless, horses trampling
eight or ten outstretched forms lit
tering the street from the Rue St.
Honore TO the Madeleine church.
One policeman said to The Asso-
ciated Press correspondent as shots
were heard hundred yards distant,
They are firing at US and [ have a
gun (producing a loaded weapon
from his coat pockeD but 1 can not
ire on my brothers.
The behavior of some of the po-
Iicemen, however, seemed like an in
vitation to rioting. One big police
man knocked down a mutilated war
veteran in the sight of the corre-
spondent who reproved him mildly.
The policeman enraged, Kissed, You
shut up. You will never again see
America S shore unless you mind your
own business.
Finding that the attempts to reach
the chamber Of deputies and the war
ministry We're futile, speakers begged
the crowd TO turn to the Place de la
Republique and de la Bastile. The
crowd obeyed, singing the ''Marseil
laise.'
At the Place de la Republique the
most populous quarter in Paris. all
accesses TO the square were strongly
guarded, cavalry charging repeatedly
and the firemen using their hose in
spraying the crowds, already wet from
the rain until ingenious youngsters |
turned off the water at the nearest |
hydrant
Here a blind soldier wearing the
wa~ cross With two palms entered a
stalled automobile. The crowd was
silenced and the soldier delivered a
speech.
"We are the weakest he sail
Let US not shed French blood I can
not see you but l feel that you are
honest working men and women. Let
US disperse.
Don't mind the police The sol
diers won't hurt you. I'm one of them
and for 3 months l have been tight
ing for YOU. I have lost my sight but
[ am not sorry for i, for it has served
my country and yours, but I would De
hurt ctcrnaliy if French blood is shed
today
The crowd followed the blind sol
dier who WAS borne on the shoulders
of the enthusiastic crowd.