The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-28
BAKER SEEKS LIGHT
ON PARIS OUTLAWRY
Pershing to Be Asked for Re-
port Of Americans In
volved in Crimes.
PRESS CHARGES DOUBTED
Army Officers Not Convinced
Soldiers Are Guilty to
Extent Charged.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27.-Omcial la'or.
nation will be sought by the War Ne.
partment concerning reports n Paris
newspapers that American soldiers have
been involved in a crime wave. Score.
tary Baker said to-day that the situation
pictured in the press Seemed Incrcd h,e'
and that official reports from France
made no mention of the matter.
The American Expeditionary Force has
maintained in Paris since American
troops began to appear In that city on
leave or otherwise provost guard ~
military police to aid the French police
In handling Incidents In which American
troops were involved. The same practi,e
is followed wherever there are many
soldiers In any community In the United
States or elsewhere.
1t was said at the Department that
disturbances OF a minor character were
to be expected where many men freed
for the moment from close military re.
straint were involved but since tho nE-
ures given by the French newspapers in
dcated most serious situation a de-
tailed report probably would be asked
OF Gen. Pershing, both as to the extent
to which the men of his command have
been proved to be involved and the step,
taken to check tho indicated tendency
to cast aside military discipline.
Other Omcers Doubt II.
Offcers here said that II the situation
was in fact as grave as the Paris press
indicated undoubtedly the American on
Gals In Paris were fully advised and
already had exerted themselves to cor.
rect II. The officers were inclined to be-
lieve. however that some of the figures
hxy Do III
based only on suspicious that Americans
were involved.
PAfIs, Jan. 27.-Thirty four murders.
220 day and night assaults and near'y
500 serious fights due to American SOL
diers occurred in the Department OF tie
Seine in December, says the Mdiln to-
day reverting TO the subject OF the
reorganization Of the American police
In Paris. The Reinforcement OF the ro-
lice contingent had been demanded nv
Brig. Gen. William W. Harts. the news.
paper asserts. and with the new organi-
zation effected police operations have
been carried out on a wholesale scale
especially In the Montmartre section. re.
sulting In the arrest OF many American
deserters.
The American police in Paris PIE.
viously had been chiefly recruited. thu
Mafin points out, among American OF.
fcers and soldiers who had been
wounded. Their main duty was to give
Information TO American soldiers in TIA
streets and to regulate triHing Offences
and carry out night patrols. TIE ma
Jority Of the members OF this force. how
ever. were not capable OF dealing with
serious crimes. adds the newspaper.
which cites the December statistics as
proving the inef'iciency of such policing.
bar MT Maxim's Closed.
Another OF the Paris newspapers tho
Intrdnstosdnt. welcomes the reinforce
ment Of the American police service in
these days, when. II says. attacks by
armed men were becoming overcommor
and jewelry stores we're being robbed
in full daylight in the main streets. For
II must be said" says the Intrdnsiuedrt
and our friends OF the United States
deplore the fact like ourselves, tina: tho
sudacity Of some of their bad lots has
grown marrellously since the armistlce 4"
The InfrdnSioednt adds that the bar at
Maxims has been closed to Officers
American. French and others because.
according to the Prefecture OF Police ",
violations against the liquor selling regu.
lations and not owing to widely rd-
mored Incidents" These rumors .ts
newspaper adds. were TO the efrec. trat
fsht occurred In the bar in whNh
American officers took part some OF tie
reports having II that ono OF the pa
Elephants was killed. another that a
French off1cer had been killed, while Sill
another version was that two Amer.cats
had been killed
The recent theft OF an autom0h.-
added to long list of such thefts IL a.
tributed by the IntransiOeant 10 two
Americans who are making special
OF this kind OF crime. driving an auto
mobile Of their own and taking IN ;0H
any car whose owner had loft 1t alo'a
with the ignition cut out. the gssole1e
tank closed and the magnetic Isolated