Paris War Days | Page 4

automobiles. I was very much impressed by the
earnest, grave determination of the reservists, who were silently

rejoining their posts. Some of them were accompanied by wives, sisters,
or sweethearts, who concealed their tears with forced smiles. Now and
then groups of young men escorted the reservists, singing the
"Marseillaise" and waving French, British, and Russian flags. At the
Place de la Concorde, near the statue of "Strasbourg," was a procession
of Italians, who had offered their military services to the Minister of
War in spite of Italy's obligation to the Triple Alliance.
Later, at the American Embassy, Number 5 Rue François Premier, I
found Ambassador Herrick arranging for a sort of relief committee of
Americans to aid and regulate the situation of our stranded countrymen
and women here. There are about three thousand who want to get home,
but who are unable to obtain money on their letters of credit; if they
have money, they are unable to find trains, or passenger space on
westward bound liners. Mr. Herrick showed me a cablegram from the
State Department at Washington instructing him to remain at his post
until his successor, Mr. Sharp, can reach Paris; also to inform Mr.
Thomas Nelson Page, American Ambassador at Rome, to cancel his
leave of absence and stop in Rome, even if "Italy had decided to remain
neutral." As soon as the German and Austro-Hungarian ambassadors
quit the capital, Mr. Herrick will be placed in charge of all the German
and Austro-Hungarian subjects left behind here. I met also M. J. J.
Jusserand, French Ambassador at Washington, who intends sailing
Tuesday for New York. M. Jusserand informed me that official news
had reached the Paris Ministry of the Interior of Germany's violation of
the territory of Luxemburg, the independence of which had been
guaranteed by the Powers, including of course Prussia, by the Treaty of
London in 1867. M. Jusserand was very indignant at this reckless
breach of international law.
At the suggestion of Mr. Herrick, a committee of Americans was
chosen to co-operate with him in giving such information and advice to
Americans in Paris as the efforts of the committee to ascertain facts and
conditions may justify. The committee think there is no cause for alarm
on the part of those who remain in the city for the present; and that
Americans will be able to leave at some later date, if any desire to do
so.

The committee will endeavor to learn what can be done in securing
money on letters of credit or travelers' cheques, or in getting means of
transportation to such places as they may desire to go.
The committee includes Messrs. Laurence B. Benét, W.S. Dalliba,
Charles Carroll, Frederick Coudert, James Deering, Chauncey M.
Depew, E.H. Gary, H. Herman Harjes, William Jay, F.B. Kellog, Percy
Peixotto, and Henry S. Priest. The chairman is Judge E.H. Gary.
Mr. Herrick asked me to convey a private message to one of his friends,
but as the telephone service was interrupted, Mr. Laurence Norton, the
Ambassador's secretary, loaned me his motor-car for the purpose. On
the Cour La Reine a procession of young men escorting reservists and
bearing a French flag appeared. I naturally raised my hat to salute the
colors. The crowd, noticing the red, white, and blue cockades on the
hats of the chauffeur and the footman, mistook me for the American
Ambassador or for a cabinet minister, and burst into frantic cheers.
In the German quarter, near the Rue d'Hauteville, a couple of German
socialists who were so imprudent as to shout "A bas l'armée!" were
surrounded by angry Frenchmen, and despite an attempt of the police to
protect them, were very roughly handled. A German shoemaker who
attempted to charge exaggerated prices for boots had his windows
smashed and his stock looted by an infuriated crowd.
The news that the German shops were being attacked soon spread, and
youths gathered in bands, going from one shop to the other and
wrecking them in the course of a few moments. Further riots occurred
near the Gare de l'Est, a district which is inhabited by a large number of
Germans. A great deal of damage was done.
Measures were taken at once by the authorities, and several cavalry
detachments were called to the aid of the police. The youths were quite
docile on the whole, a word from a policeman being sufficient to turn
them away.
The cavalry, too, only made a few charges at a sharp trot and were
received with hearty cheers. Policemen and municipal guards were,

however, stationed before shops known to be owned by Germans.
[Illustration: Shop of a German merchant in Paris, wrecked by French
mobs.]
In spite of this rioting, responsible Parisians may be said to have
remained as calm as they have been all through