Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1942-03-05
Paris Grim City
Under Germans
Outwardly Nothing Changed
But Presence of Nazis
Stiles Activity.

PARIS.-Paris, as the idle tourist
or the permanent resident knew it,
has passed away.
Arriving from Vichy by train in
the early hours of the morning at
the drab Austerlitz station is never
very inspiring at any time. But
arriving under the same circum-
stances today is positively depress-
ing. Long trains of Reichsbahn cars
line the sidings; here and there a
sentry in field gray vaguely noes
good morning to the railroad men
as they pass on their way to the
roundhouses. 1t is still too early for
the suburban trains to be running, so
yards and sidings present an atmos-
phere of cold desertion.
In the station itself one is con-
fronted everywhere with unfamiliar
signs in German giving directions
to get to the "BahnhofSofiZler" or
how soldiers should leave. Here
and there stand solitary sentries
presenting arms with robot-like pre-
cision at the approach of German
officers and impassively watching
the rest of the crowd pass.
Leaving the station one encounters
the first effects of the new regime.
There are no buses, no taxis, no
private cars. So one is confronted
with the alternatives of walking or
taking the subWay-unless he has
bicycle. Since Austerlitz is three
miles from anywhere, and portable
bicycles are still uncommon things,
most people choose the subway.
Run Many Risks.
Entering the metro" anywhere
in the neighborhood of big station
at train time is hazardous affair
in the best of times. But entering
it now, one runs the risk of crushed
feet from heavy suitcases dropped
by rushing refugees returning from
the provinces.
Arriving in the center of town one
finds an even more depressing at
mosphere OutWardly nothing
seems changed, but for any one with
previous intimate acquaintance with
the Partisan his set smile, reminis-
cent of that on the face of person
going to the dentist, speaks vol
umes. The Partisan had no choice
and has accepted the invasion, but
in varying degrees he resents this
intrusion of unWanted tourists.
The streets are filed with people,
yet they seem empty; there is the
usual hustle and hum of city going
about its usual tasks, but one can
clearly hear the hollow crunch of
half-boots block away.
'VerbOten' Rule Prevails.
"Order" reigns everywhere Jay
walking pedestrians now cross the
streets in the "clous" pedestrian
passages). But the order that
reigns is that summed up in the
word "verboten.
Food at fair prices-the German
authorities decreed that prices OBJ
tanning the first of May were legal
maximums-is available in suf-
ficient quantities. The ''halles" are
amply supplied daily, but the mill
tary gets first choice.
Transport of food from the halles
to each quarter is assured by pri-
vate cars bearing large S. P. (Serv-
ice Public) stickers On the wind
screens. There is one car for each
group of five shops, and each car is
allowed six liters of gasoline daily.
Woe betide the driver caught using
this gasoline for purposes other than
the transport of foodstuffs, however.
In general, private property has
not been touched, although there are
several authenticated as well as re-
ported cases to the contrary.
Continuing ones search for a
landmark of pre-war Paris, one
finds sadly depleted American COL
ony, most of which now lives at the
Hotel Bristol, on the Rue du Fau-
bourg st. Honore, a stones throw
from the embassy itself. The hotel
was requisitioned by the embassy
on the urgent demand for shelter by
many Americans on the arrival of
the German troops. 1t is now con-
sidered an embassy annex and all
guests pay their way, those with
money helping those without. The
German authorities have not inter-
fered with any one there.