The Wilmington morning star., 1940-06-16
SWASTIKAS FLOAT
OVER PARIS NOW
Continued from Page One)

battle without pause. The bulk OF
the army Of occupation is not here
vet. but is expected to start ar
irving before this cable is received
in America.
(The cable was written at 8 am.
Saturday,
That Hitler himself is due here
soon is taken for granted.
(The Tribune de Geneve, Of &C.
neva Switzerland, carried a spe-
cial Paris dispatch tonight saying
that German troops were b y
preparing the Palace Of Versailles
for the arrival of Chancellor Hit
ler." ]
We arrived last night in this city
that seems dead. I just do not rec
ognize Paris again. Seventy per cent
of it's population has fled.
From the Hotel Crillon, where
once President Wilson of the United
States addressed French crowds,
the swastika is flying.
The banner also is flying from
atop the Quai d'Orsay, the French
foreign office; from the Arc de
Triomphe, under which lies buried
Frances unknown soldier of the
World war; from the historic city
hall; and from the Eiffel Tower.
1t all seems unreal, like an Arabian
nights tale come to life.
This dispatch is being sent from
here at 9 a. m. g a. M, EST.
On first entering Paris last night,
we drove to the tomb of the I'm
known Soldier in the twilight.
AS a background to the Arc de
Triomphe, the sky was disfigured
by an enormous ugly cloud of smoke
emanating from the region around
st. German.
That suburb apparently was in
flames from artillery fire.
1t was about 9 p. m.-and the Arc
was bathed in a mellow, reddish
light.
Before the tomb of "Un Soldat
Inconnu'' were standing old women.
young women, bearded old men and
boys in their teers. Many Of the
older women were sobbing softly.
Never could one forget that deep
ly touching e
AS we approached the tomb in
company of our guides from the
army their looks, hardened for a
moment. They appeared to relax
somewhat, however, when the Ger.
man officers, removed their caps,
stood still then saluted the symbol
of the brave French soldiery buried
there.
To countless American tourists
who know Paris it is probably as
incomprehensible as it was to me
that the old Paris was a ghost city
when I entered.
We came by way Of the Clichy
gate. No Germans were visible any
where along our drive through this
section.
Such few citizens as stood around
at corners or gathered about radio
loudspeakers gazed at us in curiosi-
ty.
They apparently had not seen any
German officers before.
It is an open question whether
Adolf Hitler will duplicate his War
saw performance, when in October,
1889, only two days after capitula-
ton of the Polish capital, he review
ed a gigantic parade Of his forces.
Perhaps Incognito
Perhaps he has decided to do as
he did at Brussels last week. He
came and left there practically in.
cognito.
In one way or another, however,
he is bound to come soon to Paris
for the first visit of his life.
For not since 1871 has Germany
experienced a triumph similar to
that achieved with the occupation
Of the French capital. In 1871 at
Versailles the German empire was
founded and Wilhelm the first pro.
claimed emperor.
It is almost unthinkable that Hit
Ter would not visit the city soon.
Under arrangements made by
Prof. Karl Boomer, chief of the for.
eign press department Of the min
istry Of propaganda in Berlin in
cidentally, a mar who has travelled
up and down the United States and
Mexico and knows America we'll
we foreign newsmen reached the
French capital on the same day the
first German troops did.
Vanguards Of the German army
had reached the city Friday at Z
q. m.