“LE QUATORZE JUILLET”

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 248, 14 July 1921, Page 4

“LE QUATORZE JUILLET”

FRANCE’S NATIONAL FETE THE FALL OF THE BASTILLE To-day Franco celebrates her national fete—the hundred! and thirty-second anniversary of tho fall of the Bastille. From that date, despite tho terrible Revolu-. tion, commenced the era of her prus" peritv, and. Frenchmen all over the world join on "Lo Quatorzo Juillet’ in celebration and rejoicing. The Bastille is an. outstanding figure in the world’s history. Its masses of stone and iron signified the brutal and relentless rule of the Bourbons. Its destruction by tho people of France meant the coming of freedom —the rebirth of a nation. Among tho more distinguished personages who were confined. in the fortress during the reigns of Louis XIV, XV, and XVI, were the famous. "Man. with the Iron Mask, Foucquet, the Marshal Richelieu, Le Maistre de Sacy, De Renneville, Voltaire, Latude, Labourdonnais, I/ally, Cardinal de Rohan, and many others. After the breaking out of the revolution the Bastille was attacked by the Parisians, and after a vigorous resistance it was token and razed to the ground on July 14, 1789. At the time of the capture only seven prisoners were found, in it. The site of the building ia now marked by a lofty column of bronze, dedicated to the patriots of July, 1789 and 1830, and is crowned by a gilded figure of the genius of liberty. On July 14. 1919, a groat Victory March, in which all the Allied troops participated, was held in Paris, Marshal Foch being present. His famous message was: The battle of July was ouv battle, the battle of the nations with us. The French. English, Americana, and Italians, all stood heart to heart, elbow to elbow. All did their duty, I only did mine . . . nothing more. . . I knew well what the end. would be. For as to any doubt of the issue, I never had any, not for a day, nor an hour. In war, he who doubts is lost. You must never doubt. Flags will be flown at the French Consular agent’s office to-day.