El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-01-31

THIS sudden rush OF Paris news about hundreds Of
crimes committed by American soldiers Of murders, as
saints burqIares and holdups-what is the big idea:
The Pans MatiH describes the criminals as oeseTters
from the American army and prays the commissioner OF
police IN New York TO ooaborate with the Paris commits
sionsr and the American military police to check the crime
wave.
Can be that some hundreds of American soldiers have
broken loose the French capital with series Of Ger
r1zn atrocities? The thing is unheard Of.
ON troops are not IN the habit of behaving that way
II their own country in foreign country. Now and
hen IN FL Paso crime is committed BY soldier The
aggregate probably fewer than committed out Of
the number Of civilians; this for the that mill
tary restraints added to civil prohibitions, act crime
pTeTentves Our soldiers were excessively respectful o.
the lives and property OF the natives when they were IN
China Mexico Cuba, Haiti and Santo Domingo There has
been no complaint whatever OF the conduct OF those quar-
tered England. Ireland and Scotland Indeed until after
the arnistice signed, there complaint from
France. One would be led to believe that held
themselves leash while the but that, after
having Travelled thousands Of miles fight and possibly
die to help France Of them did not hesitate TO turn
around and sabag France and then rob her after the war
over.
It's preposteTous. The truth is probably about like
this; In the American army, as in every Other there are
lev hardened criminals and more who have no criminal rec
0rds but lawless and immoral RoteTs" the English
call them Il is quite expressive word
The probabilities that, leave having been granted
70 thousands Of American troops after the armsce
soldiers Of the above kinds have committed criminal acts
especially robbery It is the less difficult to understand in
view Of the reports that many units Of the over
seas army have not been paid since last October the ont
rage If II is true
also prODaDe that cTlnnal acts OF the
have been committed by the rotter Of every other allied
army in France including those OF the French army As
matter Of fact, such offense which marked up
against the Americans is found TO have been COM
mted by two French soldiers they having been caught
'=ith the goods
Whether OF not the Matn and other Paris papers have
merely fsnced that every crime committed IN Paris since
the arisce done by American soldiers guesswor
Il IS fact that Paris papers, out for good story, are
careful In sitting surmise from fact than
American papers and It is also true that in gathering
lice and court news the French utterly inefficient Fur
themor, reporter may work for the Matin Figaro the
Petit and many other newspapers magazines and publ
cations Of whatever knd-au the time-as he
induce to buy his views tumble Of both There
fore If reporter gets from the project Of police
alarming total figures and chooses make his
dueons, he may build up sensational story Of American
dspredsons America being the place where the wild In
dams and the buffalo abound anyway IF is suffi
GENTLY sensational he may not sell It at all and if It is
sufficiently interesting he may sell # every newspaper
u Pans BY changing the wording little that the stories
vin not appear alike 10 the word IN all papers
The Pans papers are now putting angle
cid story Crime have been recurrent in Paris for
years Les Apaches" uniformed, sinking, fiendshly