The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-08-21
Gay Paree Wits Under Pressure Of Nazi Rule
United Press Correspondent Notes Changes in Once Happy French Capital; HOrdes of Troops There

I the avenue are the German works bureau, displaying pictures of the Balkan campaign and the second DunkerQue." and the German Mid- dle- Europe tourist office, proclaim ing in attractive manner the ad- vantages of travel in Germany.
 Across the street, Brentano's book store, closed 8 few days before the occupation, is empty and dusty. On the door is a notice in English, French and German signed by a sec- retary of the American embassy saying that the property flor the most part" is owned by American interests.
 Stocks at the luggage shop "Au Depart" are confined chiefly to fi- Der cases. Only 8 few leather bags are on hand. Business is not brisk.
 Ten-Cent Store Open
 Farther down toward the Louvre, the Monoprix (Paris five and ten- cent store) informs it's customers that the principal articles missing" from its food counters are:
 Conserves, spice cakes, salt, pep per, chocolate, codfish, jellies, rice, tunafish, biscuits, sardines, fresh fruit, teasemolina of mtllet, wheat flour and pork products. Another list names the principal items which can be purchased with or without tickets
 Demonstrating a bit of Parisian chic, one womens wear shop shows scarfS with designs in the form of ration cards. They are sold without permits. Most of the merchandise in all the stores is labeled Sold With Permit" or "Sale Free" Some times there is no assurance some thing seen in the window can be purchased inside.
 Just off the Avenue, the Univer- sal theater advertises the Vienna made movie Cora Terry" German and French films monopolize the field. There are no American or British movies.
 Rue Dan0u Quiet
 In former years the Rue Danou leading off the Avenue de pOpera was filled with Americans bustling in and out of a particular bar. The name "Harry's' has been removed, leaving only New York Bar" To- day it is gloomy and spiritless. Ad- vertisements for hotdogs are mean inglesS. Drinks also are curtailed by restrictions. Patronized now chiefly by French newspapermen, it closes about 9:30 P. M, permitting the well-known barmen, Felix, Rob- ert and Charlie plenty of time to catch the last subway at 11:10 P. M
 Around the corner in Frankie O'Neilrs Silver Ring" there is more animation. What is left of the Am erican news colony gather around to reminisce of "the good old days" A pianist plays modern American tunes. Songs of serious national character, however, are "verboten."
 Walking down the Rue de la Paix presents much the same picture as 1t used to, until one arrives at the Place Vendome. Two German sen- tries stand guard at the Ritz hotel. A lone French gendarme patrols the sidewalk in front of the ministry of justice.
 Gone are. the sandbags from Ma poleonis column which is one of the points of interest for the frequent tours of German soldiers, conducted by guide in plain clothes. Peddlers of candy, trinkets and photographs trail along.
 A big German flag hangs from the Hotel Continental a year ago I scene of the complicated French censorship at work. Part of 1t hous- es soldiers.
 English Books on Sale
 The bcokshop on the corner of the Rue de Rivoli and Rue Rouget de lTsle displays, behind window on which remains English Spok- en-" an assortment of English lan- guage books Typical are:
 Fight for Life" by Paul de Kruif; Growth of Man." by Mazo de la Roche; "The Way To Be Alive," by William Saroyan; Puzzle for Fools" by Patrick Quentin, and Down the River" by H. E. Bates
 A block west, Smiths bookshop now is labeled "Frontbuchhand- lung" It's display, arranged around Hitler's "Mein Kampf," is entirely of German editions.
 In the Tuileries along the other side of the street, children play but no longer around Edith Cavell's sta tue.
 The world-famed Place de la Con- corde, where the armies of the Reich converged on June IA, 194O, reveals a strange contrast from last year. German sailors guard the entrance to the Ministry of Marine building while field gray clad soldiers watch over the Crillon Hotel housing the quartermaster.
 Up until few weeks ago, civil ians were not permitted to walk along from the Guaranty Trust to the Crillon because the hotel then was the offices of higher officials.
 Tourist Parties Popular
 Dozens of white and yellow signs in German protrude from the streets around the obelisk, fountains and the statues. Invariably there are one or more tourist" parties there. Big trucks and trailers are parked along the curbs.
 At the American embassy, looking out over the green Champs ElyseeS, outward activity is almost at standstill. The American flag does not wave over the building any