EMOTIONAL FRENCHMEN

Evening Star, Issue 19533, 14 April 1927, Page 5

EMOTIONAL FRENCHMEN

SENSATIONAL COURT SCENES “ VIYE LA FRANCE.” Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright PARIS, April 12. A political libel action, connected 'with the Home Rule movement in Alsace,- ended in a • series of sensations only possible in a French court or a GilberUSullivan opera. A certain abbe named Haegv sued the editor of a journal for alleging that the abbe had been a German propagandist. During cross-examination the abhe dramatically declared that in serving Alsace he only wished to serve France. The defending counsel immediately challenged the abbe to cry “Vive la France.” The abbe promptly accepted the challenge, whereupon someone in the court started singing the ‘ Marseillaise,’ with the electrifying result that the whole court joined in. The opposing counsel rushed to shake hands, and the abbe and the editor kissed each other. The jury, without leaving the box, returned a verdict of “ No libel.”