Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-12
PROTEST PARADE
| IN PARIS Peaceful
French Veterans Appeal Over
Heads Of Diplomats for
Reduced U. S. Debt.

Rys the Associated I'ress.
PARIS, July 12.--TNRelve thousand
French war veterans. many OF them
wounded, have gone over the heads
OF diplomats and governments to APP
peal to the American people for modi-
f1cation Of the Ffanco-American war
debt agreement. The Paris police to-
day had In their possession stone
plaque taken from the foot Of the
equestrian statue Of George Washing
ton in the Place d'Iena, and on which
was inscribed:
'over. the head Of diplomacy and
far from political and financial COM
hines, the war veterans Of France APP
peal straight to the people Of the
United States. After the receptions
OF peace. the proposed debt settles
fnent would consecrate the ruin OF
France and the loss Of its independ-
ence.
I America win understand that the
war veterans of France. who are hon.
egt. sincere and loyal, are asking In
q friendly manner that the study Of
the question should be taken up once
more"
Plaque Is Deposited.
The French veterans deposited the
plaque and q wreath at the foot Of
the Washington statue yesterday In
the course of q parade. plans for
which had caused protests by Am
hassador HerTick. The government
forbade the parade, but withdrew its
prohibition upon assurance that the
demonstration had no political sig
nifleanca During the parade q
wreath was given to q group Of
Americans who had fought In the
French army. The presentation was
at q statue Of Allan Seeger, American
ecldier-poet, who wrote IT Have q
Rendezvous With DeathS' The statue
d in the Place des Etats Units.
Immediately after the plaque was
placed at the Washington statue
under q wreath inscribed: ITO Wash
ington, With. Hope" plain-ciothes
o6ficsr slipped It under his coat.
jumped into waiting automobile and
The marchers included cripples in
wheel chairs. blind men guided by
their wives or children and others,
whose wounds of battle showed plainly.
The sombre procession moved UP the
ordinarily gay Champs Elysees. around
the Arc de Triomphe and down the
Avenue d'Iena before thousands with
uncovered heads, in the rain. The
Americans who received the wreath
&C the foot Of the Seeger statue were
Col. Charles Sweeny, J, G.. Hopper,
Charles Beaumont and p. III. Salisbury,
who participated in the demonstration,
despite withdrawal Of their organiZa+
ton. the Association Of American
Volunteers, 1S14-17. The French vet
seran who rendered them the wreath,
said:
II am glad you had the courage to
come"
The American embassy and the resi-
deuce Of Ambassador Myron T. Her
rick were guarded by the police be-
cause the French veterans at first
contemplated demonstrations there.
A special edition Of the veterans
newspaper recalled wartime speeches
6f American statesmen, who said that
dollars until an American Army was
available.
q In a demonstration at Nice q resolu-
ton was adopted declaring that set
tlement OF war debts ought to be ar
ranged by q committee composed OF
entirely French and American vet
Grams. F9@ $50
The Paris parade was coincidentai
with revelations that Finance Min.
lister CAilIaux would fly to London by
airplane today to complete and sign
q debt agreement with England, con-
eidered more lenient than the Amer
lean agreement.
Want War Debt Cancelled.
NICE. France. July IL CR.-Tihe
local chapter Of the National Fedora
ton Of Republican Combatants, the
strongest veterans organization on
the Riviera, followed its demonstra-.
ton Of yesterday by placarding the
city with q motion" for the annul-
nnent Of all war debts. The veterans
threaten to stage another and more
imposing demonstration on Wedncs-
day--Bastille day--''unless all groups
subscribe to the notion