Evening star., 1951-02-04

| FuDNc Library.
city of light morals. Louis wild
debauches were beginning to af-
feet the population and con-
temporary wrote: "One can con-
slider Paris . as the bad place
of Europe"
But the tide of licentious luxury,
fed by over-growing taxation Of
the people. was preparing revolu-
ton. Great truths were being pro-
claimed by men like Voltaire and
Jean-Jacques Rousseau While
Rousseau wrote: Man is born
free and is everywhere in chains" 4"
the Paris mob was muttering.
When the storm broke Paris
showed its ugliest face. A raging
mob swept through the streets
on July IA. 1889. and stormed the
Bastille, that dreaded fortress
prison where men could be
chained for years in dark dun
geons without trial on a simple
order from the King. Nothing
now remains on the site of the
Bastille except a monument. but
July IA is still the national fete
day of the French.
Louis XVI and his Inflated Aus
trian Queen. Marie Antoinette,
were brought as prisoners from
Versailles to the Palace of the
Tuileries. The mob tackled a sign
on the palace gate: ITO Let"
Louis tried to escape, was un-
masked before he reached the
frontier. and brought back to a
Paris jail. The mob jeered him,
then sent him to the thirsty
guillotine In January. 1793-17
years after the United ST. IS had
proclaimed its independence.
THE terror" ruled over Paris.
Danton and Robespierre arose
from obscurity, flickered briefly in
the ruddy limelight, then went
the way Of all the rest. to pro-
vide an afternoons entertainment
for the "tricoteuses," those dread
full Paris hags who sat day after
day placidly knitting as blood
streamed from the guillotine.
The early victories of q young
general called Napoleon Buona-
parte brought a certain stability
back to Paris. The young re-
publican general became a con-
sui. then an Emperor. On his
white horse he headed triumphant
victory professions in the famous
Avenue des Champs Ulysses. He
started building the Arch Of Tri-
umph. but was toppled from the
throne before he finished 1t.
Prussians and Russian cossacks,
with Wellington's redcoats. biv-
ouacked after Waterloo in the
streets Of a conquered Paris. A
Bourbon king Oouis XVIID was
King Of France once more.
Fifteen years later all Paris was
seething again. The last Bourbon
king, Charles TX, was thrown out
after bloody rioting and mild
hammered, dull Louis-Philipps Of
the House Of Orleans became the
Citizen King, . constitutional
monarch.
War Shadow Again
In 1s4s. the year Socialist re-
volts broke out In several capt.
tails Of Europe. barricades again
were thrown across the streets.
Louis-Philippe hastily abdicated.
Paris knew four uneasy years Of
turmoil under the second republic
before another change. Then Ma
poleon III. great-nephew of the
great Napoleon. founded the second
empire In 1852.
This was the time when all Paris
danced and achieved the reputa-
ton for bright lights and gayety
which it still guards today. In
contrast with the staidly respect
able court of Queen Victoria Of
England. the city sparkled.
| 1t was then, too, that modern
Paris began to take its present
shape. The new Napoleon, always
haunted by his fear of the Paris
mob, wanted wide. straight avenues
and open squares so the populace
could be controlled with his can
non in the event of riots.
Prefect Eugene Georges Hauss-
mann OF Bordeaux was called to
Paris to be city planner. He ex-
pended vast sums in tearing down
whole blocks of buildings, sweep
Is the Krup,