Evening star., 1942-12-21
Gesiapo Posts Reward
For France s Modern
Scarlet PimperneI'

mysterious nero uses
Bold Methods to SmuegI.
Out Prominent Persons
BY HELEN LOMBARD.
The most valuable commodit.
which can be smuggled out OF oc
cupied Europe these days is tn
human being.
In the struggle which is now goint
on, the presence OF . key" In.
dividual at 4 certain place may turr
the political tide in favor Of tn,
United Nations. This is particular,
true OF France, since there has beer
no French government : in exil.
which could lead, and inspire from
outside, French resistance to tn.
Nasis.
In answer to the demand fol
smuggled personalities, = moderr
Scarlet Pimpernel" has made ar
appearance in France. His activi.
ties are known to few. but to those
few he has already become a hero
His identity and nationality must, ol
course, remain unknown. 1t is be-
lieved in some quarters in Washing
ton, which have heard Of him, that
he Is part American. 1t is also saic
that he speaks perfect French
Spanish, English and German and
possibly other languages.
Helped Gen. Giraud Escape.
Thanks to him and his amazing
organization Gen. Honore Giraud
was able to escape on short notice
from Lyon to a designated spot in
France from where he was trans
ported to Africa to join Gen. Dwight
D. Eisenhower.
When the whole story of Gen
Giraud's escape Is told it will read
like . first-class thriller. 1t in
volved the use of technically per-
feet disguises and other devices for
fooling the Gestapo. Gen. Giraud
who knows something about escapes
himself, was at first skeptical of the
Hollywood methods" but in the
end he followed faithfully the direc-
tions of the "Pimpernel agents.
for the principal himself seldom ap-
pears In these affairs-and shortly
after found himself safe in North
Africa.
The mysterious organizer of the
escape ring" seems to have un-
limited funds at his disposal and
instead of the coaches and sailing
boats used by the hero of the ORGY
novel he employees speedboats, planes
and submarines.
Some Naxis Take Bribes.
It is no secret that some OF the
Nazi occupying forces have not been
averse to taking bribes. But even
that type of business must be car
ried on by master who knows
exactly where the weak spots are
The modern Pimpernel seems to
have gathered acolytes who keep
him informed on conditions in any
part of Europe and who are able to
give quickly information about in
dividuals.
When the word goes out to deliver
. high French political or military
figure to certain place the super
smuggler appears to be able to do so,
in spite of the NaZis who might
stand in the way. Most of his ac-
tivities 50 far are confined to France
and have been particularly tied in
with the possibilities opened up by
the occupation Of North Africa.
AS Allied pressure increases on
Europe, however, he is expected to
extend his work to other occupied
countries and to effect the escape
of leading nationals who are in
sympa thy with the Allied cause and
who can help lead the deliverance
Of their countries.
Former Premier Edouard Herriot,
who dared to publicly rebuke Vichy
for wishing to do away with the
constitutional rights of Frenchmen.
was offered q chance to escape by
this underground. Herriot is some
~I1Ab VVCIWcA6IlV AiIo IIc Wouhu Aio' 'S
been dtfiicult to disguise. He was
offered the chance, however, but
preferred TO remain in France.
Gestapo Is Annoyed.
1t is believed that President Albert
Lebrun and his family, who are now
reliably reported to be in a neutral
country. were removed from France
by the same organization.
The Gestapo is considerably an
moved at the activities of this mys-
terious man. He and his organiza-
ton are not winning battles for the
Allies, but they are helping tip the
political scale in our favor and this
can be extremely important. as the
North African experience has shown
u.s.
The heads Of the police in the
western occupied countries have
been promised huge rewards in the
shape of food, clothes and supplies
as well As money If they manage to
capture the modern Pimpernel.
- w.. n aM a-nAiasta YnsN