The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1919-02-06

Champs Elyses and second time
when he was going to the Hotel de
Vile for reception. Not only was /
lucky enough to see the President but
got a peek at Clemenceau, Pershing,
Poincaire, in fact most of the powers
that be among the Allies. Too bad
Marshall Foch had to be up at Ire
yes telling the Huns where to head
in. on the extension of the armistice
or ! would have had the pleasure of
gazing on the greatest general in his
tory.
Paris was wild First of all ! was
struck by the difference between the
Paris that l had known in war time
and the Paris Of today-the gayest
city in the Old World after four
years submission to the unnatural
hardships Of war had come back.
The wartime Paris was "a sombre
place. True, there was gayety in
the restaurants and theatres but it
was only the soldiers at play with an
almost fierce determination to get as
much diversion as was humanity pos
sible crammed into seven day "per-
mission. 1t was a kind Of forced
gayety, a calculated effort to forget
the Front and all that goes with war.
Civilian Paris took little part in the
pleasures the city provided for the
military. At night the streets were
dark and little frequented. What few
lights there were had been carefully
shaded and the globes painted dingy
blue so that the lamps threw out
depressingly gloomy shadow instead
of frightening the thoroughfare. The
fear of night-raiding Gothas and the
daily round of hate from Big Bertha
had driven many good Parisians to
their country places and chateaus in
the South. My knowledge Of Paris
gained during four or five visits of
rather brief duration in war time did
little to prepare me for the surprise
| was to receive no my first visit after
the signing of the armistice.
For me it was an entirely new
Paris. Perhaps for one who had been
lucky enough to see the city before the
war it would not have been so notice
able but it was great surprise to
me. The streets were gayly decor
ated with the flags of all the allies.
Statues and monuments that had been
covered with sand bags or surround
ed by thick batements Of cement had
been opened to the air and were drap-
ed with bunting and hung with
wreaths. People walked about with
heads high and smiles on their faces.
AS Prexy Wheeler would no doubt
have said had he been present: otis
good to be here"-and that is the way
every one felt.
The President arrived on a beauti-
full day. He was due to drive up the
Champs Elysee at ten o'clock. Be-
fore eight the streets were lined with
people eager to see the great demo-
crat from a point of vantage. Wheel
barrows, carts, chairs, benches-any-
thing on which people could stand to
see over the heads of, their neighbors
brought high prices from the curious
The selling Of positions along the
streets developed into veritabl COM
merce in few minutes. Balconies
and windows, and sometimes roof posi-
tons sold from fftySit to one hundred
francs. The tree-tops were filled
with street urchins who could scarcely
restrain themselves for Impotence.
Along the sides of the street French
poilus kept the crowd from pushing
out into the center the center Of the
roadway. The poilus were the center
of attention until the President came.
The French people love their soldiers
more, l think, than any nation on
earth. Statesmen, generals and for
eign personages are all very we'll with
them and get their due, but let a
bunch of rather dirty looking, blue
coated, stubby, poilus come along and
see who gets the most attention. They
simply worship the little beggars-
and its right that they should. To
my mind they are the best soldiers
in the woodland after year and
half with them l think ! know them
pretty WELL
While the soldiers were guarding
the streets awaiting the passing of
President Wilson the crowd gave all
Of it's attention to them. First it
was flowers passed around by pretty
little Parisiennes in stunning frocks.
Soon the poilus were loaded with
flowers and some even stuck them in
the muzzles of their fusils. Then
came cigarettes and cigars-and they
all smoked-or tucked the Tags away
in their helmets for future use. Then
some bright young lady thought the
soldiers might be thirsty so she went
up and down the line giving them hot
coffee. Not to be outdone another
jeune fille-and she was peach, too
knowing the poilus need for his fav-
orite pinard began serving wine to
them. Gradually it became a contest
to see who could do the most for the
veterans. To top it all along came
famous actress from the Casino de
Paris with real champagne at many,
many francs a bottle. She ran from
soldier to soldier, hatless and coatless,
filling the little tin cups that every
soldier carries chatting with the
blushing hero as she poured out the
sparkling liquid.
Then all at once the line of sol
diers Strengthened out, bayonets were
ESoJ o~I %1o v,ni1,,c n+o1I az r.icj6