PARIS REJOICES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9492, 4 January 1919, Page 2

PARIS REJOICES.

SIGNING OF ARMISTICE

The armistice was signed in the early hours of this morning, the Allied signatories being Marshal, Foch and Admiral Sir iiosslyn Wemyss. Early this morning 1 had the good fortune to.run into the British signatoiy at the Embassy, wrote the correspondent of the London Times from (Paris, under date November 11. . ,It was half-past eleven when the news was given semi-officially. An hour before this, Marshal Foch, accompanied by Admiral.'Wemyss, drove up to j the Ministry of War, and was received by M. Giemenceau. A quarter of an hour later, M. Clemonceau and Marshal Foch set out for the Ely see. The Minister for the Interior issued the following instructions this morning to the Prefects of Departments:—f<; "Befiag immediately and illuminate all public buildings this evening. Let the bells peal forthwith, and make all arrangements with the military authorities to have salutes fired to bear the news, to, the people of France that the armistice-* has been* signed."' , *;■ The Municipality of Paris issued today the following proclamation to the population: People of Paris. It is victory, triumphal victory, on all fronts. The enemy, vanquished, has laid down his arms, arid blood will cease to flow. Let Paris depart from her proud reserve which has won for her the admiration of the world. Let us give free course to our joy and enthusiasm, and let us swallow our tears. As testimony to' our great soldiers and our incomparable chiefs, let us beflag all houses with the French colours and the colours of our dear allies. Our dead may sleep in peace. The sublime sacrifice made by them of their lives for the future of the race and the salvation of the Patrie shall not be barren. For them, as for us, "Le jour de gloire est arrive." Vive la Republique! Vive la France Immortelle!

The news of the signature spread like wildfire through Paris, although the censorship forbade its publication in the first evening newspapers. One newspaper found a satisfactory means of conveying the information by stating that tho censorship forbade publication of news which everyone knew, and bidding the public await the gunfire and joy-bells. In the course; of the morning the guns started firing, and .Paris,went charmingly off her head.. Along the boulevards processions at once formed. Every happy possessor of a- flag immediately became , the leader of a gloriously happy • band, and the whole city resounds with cheers and the "Marseillaise.'-' - Almost among the first people to hear of the signature of the armistice were the British* soldiers on leave, and they at once set out from the Leave Club in chars-a-bancs and motor' lorries covered with flags. Tho tremendous ovation they received from the crowd showed, that France acknowledges her debt to British assistance.

The Place de la Concorde, which I visited shortly after the first news leaked out, was an amazing spectacle. The -thousands of German guns of all calibre which are stalled there were completely submerged by the vast crowd which collected around the statue of the City of • Strasburg, which now, after 47 years/, has shed her crape and mourning- wreaths and sits triumphant, be-garlanded and draped with tho Tricolour,' of France; washed clean by t the blood vof millions. The great anthem which is rising above Paris today is being sung again, and full-heart-edly and' openly, in Strasburg. The din under the-willows is so great thai it is almost impossible to dictate this telegram. There is a series of cheering multitudes marching up and down. .Students from the Left Bank, Midinettes, business men, and^ above, all,- soldiers, all > cheering and singing' themselves hoarse. At the present moment there is a roar of laughter, and on looking out of my window I see a young Irish soldier, encircled by a vast crowd, endeavouring to teach a charming , young Parisienhe the Irish jig. Our men are. among the mostkissed in Paris. "God save the King" is heard all over the city, and the Union Jack is flying on every car and over every house in Paris. There is not a flower-stall in Paris' which is not sold out, and girls are rushing round the streets pressing sprigs of mimosa into tho hands of poilus and Tommies, who are rapidly forgetting to be embarrassed. The whole city has spontaneously taken a holiday, shops are shut, and banks are deserted. Everything that moves on wheels is careering up and down tho streets with people clustered on it on the top, sides, and footboards, all waving flags and cheering madly. The sitting in the French Chamber was a memorable and unique one, of which the memory will remain for ever in> the minds of all who were present. M. Clemenceau enterod the hall amid thunderous applause. All the deputies rose and gave a frantic ovation to the liberator of the country. M. f Clemenceau, in a voice trembling with emotion, read the terms of the armistice. After reading the terms of tho armistice the Premier said:—

"I shall now only add a few words, in the name of the French people and the French republic greetings to France, one and indivisible, to France, liberated by the power of anus, to AlsaceLorraine, and then honour to our great dead. France has been liberated by the power of arms. Let us salute our heroes of yesterday, soldiers of God, and our heroes of to-day, soldiers of humanity; Our soldiers will always be tho soldiers of the ideal."

At the end of M. Glemenceau's speech the whole Chamber rose and thundered out the, "Marseillaise." The House was almost delirious with joy. Tears were in all eyes, and no one attempted to hide them. The President of the Chamber announced that he had received a proposal to offer on behalf of the Chamber a sword of honour to Marshal Fpch as a sign of the gratitude of the, nation. . r'

The French Senate has voted by acclamation the proposal that*a bust of M. Clomenceau be jjlaced in the Senate alongside the bust h of the .great Frenchmen; who have di stinguished thomiselvesi in the past as members of Senate. , -.„'■■ w ' .' '■'■■ ■