Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-09-28
PARIS Sept. 10.

sT|HE most dramatic resurrection OF
the late war; and perhaps Of all
history. is that OF Colonel-better
known ms Captain--Alfred Dreyfus
Twentyfour years ago this brave, I'M
fortunate man was sentenced to q living
death as traitor with every circumstance
of shame and ;gnominy that France could
devise. And now, after all these years,
his country has appointed him an officer
of her famous Legion Of Honor.
But the struggles that have occurred In
the interval make the drama even moro
wonderful than anything that can be i'm.
agined from the mere statement Of these
two essential facts. A reversal of Cap.
tain Dreyfus's original conviction was IN
deed obtained years ago after a remark
able campaign to prove his innocence. but
that did not mean his complete rehabili.
tation. The whole power Of the upper
classes Of France had been employed to
secure his conviction and to uphold Il.
The same power continued unalterably
against him, even after his innocence had
been proved.
After his reinstatement in the army at
that earlier period he found the majority
OF officers as we'll as the leaders of society
against him. and military career became
hopeless.
The hunted, tragic man retired into OBJ.
security. broken physically, but his amazing
moral force never deserted him.
When this war broke out his opportunity
came. The very existence of France as a
nation was threatened and the services OF
every man Of military training we're de-
maEded. Alfred Dreyfus, then a major of
artillery On the retired list, was appointed
to the command OF one OF the smaller forts
surrounding Paris
Then came the great irresistible rush ot
the Germans upon Paris The invaders
reached as far as the Bots de Boulogne, the
great park Of the metropolis, and the fate
OF France trembled in the balance. The
French Government was removed hurried
ly to Bordeaux on the western coast.
AS most people know. the task of cap.
turing Paris was conflded by the German
STAR to General Won Kluck, commander OF
the right wing of the German army. He
was TO swing around west Of Parig, and. in
combination with the other German armies.
surround the capital.
In last desperate life-and-death effort
to stem the German invasion, all tha
French reserves that could be gathered IN
Paris were rushed forward to aIJacK ina
army or Won Kluck at It's junction with,
she other German armies. Thousands of the
French soldiers, many OF them elderly men.
were hurried there in taxicabs.
This sudden onslaught nearly CIT tbronph
md l>1
to swing eastward to escape destruction
Paris was thus saved. In this desperate
hgating Alfred Dreyfus, the physically
broken, long prosecuted officer of artillery.
acquitted himself heroically He distin.
guished himself especially in the battle OF
the Ourcq, two days before the battle NJ
the Marine
Inc brilliant strategic move against Won
Rlucks array made possible the great
French victory OF the Marine, which ended
Germany's hope OF swift success, and tbns
insured her final defeat.
For his services in this critical strugp,a
Alfred Dreyfus was promoted lieutenant.
colonel But France owes him much no.
yond his combatant services, for Il ,s
understood that he first discovered tho
0teo' e"PioHdse "oTR mat was being
carried on 10y Mata Iari, the notorious
Dutch dancer. 1t is one OF the most sinsu.
lar circumstances OF this great drama
that man once falsely accused as n any
should have trapped one of the most dan.
gerous Of real spies.
Mata Hari was fascinatingly beeutif,,
woman, the daughter Of a Dutch nlan,o,
the East Indies and native
Javanese woman. The girl mar.
ried Campbell Macleod the dis.
reputable scion OF Scottish
noble family and separated from
him. Having learned to dance
In an Oriental temple she went
to Europe and made consider.
able success in Germany. There .
she was hired as a spy by the 81
German General Staff. ~