The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1919-01-02
FRANCE SAFE FROM
RED FLAG; TRIEDiT
Bolshevist Doctrines Once Made
the Streets Of Paris Run
Red With Blood.
From the Kansas city star.

From the Kansas City-Star.
There Is n country where,sit II safe
70 assume, the doctrines o. bolahevism
viii never find Judgment Il the red
q ever muster again the human wolf
packs that prey upon social disorder.
Ihat country is France. 1t had its day
OF oolshevism, n SO years have not
wiped out the memories OF 1t.
At was not called bolshevism in that
day. 1t was known by q more eupho-
nic. a more attractive title. 1t was
called The Commune"-a name asso-
clated with ideal schemes Of govern
ment. based upon social justice, NIB
erty' fraternity, equality for which
me names OF Plato, More. saint-Simon
ana robert Owen stand as distin-g
guished sponsors.
But the reign Of the Commune Of
Far's' whose deeds sent a wave OF hor-
.or over The world In 1871, had nothing
~ common with the theories of these
honest dreamers of fine dreams. It was
NO, an economic movement. It was a
poii.lcal movement of an origin whose,
mystery has never been satisfactorily
solved by history. VERY closeIy in it's
development it paralleled the more
ihoaern evolution Of bolshevism.
Very similar, too, was the framework
OF It's Organizations system Of COM
m1ttees and subcommittee Indicating
the political 1otsam of MANY nations
uhoer the red flag OF anarchy.
After the surrender OF Napoleon III.
al sedan, the empire, which was his
creation. fell to pieces, and upon its
runs was created the third republic,
proclaimed September 4, 1870, when
me republican deputies. of Paris, at
me hotel de Vile. contributed a pro-
Vislonal government under the presi-
oency Of General Trochu, military
governor OF h capital. Following
seoah, Paris was invested by the Ger
mans, n for five months stood
siege. commandment and famine. While
.iis was In progress, Bazafne surren-
ueFeo the last remnant OF the regular
french army at Metz. Paris, defend
ed by the National Guard, under the
authority of the provisional govern
ment. held out until January 20, 1871,
when it capitulated. The same day the
p~reHminartes of peaceawere signed at
Versailles.
History Of Revolt.
In March the Germans marched
through the streets of Paris and occu-.
pied the city under the terms of the
peace. for forty eight hours. Scarce
ty had they Withdrawn, when insurrec-
tionary mobs began to brow up bar
ricades In different parts of Paris.
The National Guard. with the excep-
ton OF a few loyal officers and compa-
mics. soon Joined the mobs, and the
movement began to assume the shape
of an organized revolution, directed
from some unknown source by a secret
COMMITTEE" Mobs Of frenzied women
paraded the streets wearing red caps
and Haunting red flags.
u ard ammunition were seized,
the streets were barricaded and the
heights OF Montmartre and Pere La
chaise fortified by the insurgents.
March Is The Commune" was pro-
claimed and the reign OF terror began.
At the outset there was no formal
declaration OF principles or purposes
Tor which the insurgents proposed to
fight. There was no visible head to
the movement. It broke out like an
incendiary conflagration whose essen
tial spirit was destruction.
The economic theory Of the Com
~n,unards, as 1t was later advanced by
lliS Ill SOlAAAIAAIlSCb W0S> +. sAAaS
Paris was to be a "free town." recog-
MIXING no government,except that of a
federation of self governing conamunes
acknowledging no central organization.
Later they formulated a more definite
platform-the abolition Of all religions.
the abolition Of all property. the aboli-
ton Of all family, the abolition Of in
h%critance and the abolition of nation
ality. And all this was to be accom-
plished In the name of liberty, fra
ternity and equality" with the red flag
as its symbol.
$ Each day Paris was placarded with
grandiloquent proclamations issued by
The Central Committee OF THE Com
mittee Of Public Safety" The follow
ing is a fair sample of their tenor:
"Parisians! The struggle we
have commenced cannot be aban-
doned, for it Is a struggle between
the past and the future. between
liberty and despotism, between
equality and monopoly, fraternity
and servitude. To arms! Let
F.aris bristle with b~arricades and
from behind these improvised ram
parts let her shout the cry Of war.
let the ;pavements OF the stxeets be
torn up. The paving stones, serv-
ing as a new near OF defense. can
be carried to the higher floors
where there are balconies. Let rev.
o~lutionary Paris. the Paris OF great
deeds, do her duty. The Com
: %ulasaaa,&s will do theirs"
Reds Defeated.
But finally the day came when the
tide turned. After long delays and a
policy OF tefnporizing, Theirs, the head
OF the government ct the republic at
Versailles, had mustered al Versailles
a strong army. made up OF the prisoners
OF Sedan and Metz, released by the
Germans, and the remnants Of the reg
uiar troops OF the line. He placed Gem
eral MacNfahon at the head Of tha
troops and the second Siege Of Paris
began, in sight Of the German army,
which still occupied the heights around
the city. passive. awaiting the lssue.