PEACE CELEBRATIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 January 1919, Page 2

PEACE CELEBRATIONS.

PARIS OK THE GEEAT DAY.

OUR SOLDIEBS FETED,.

(London Times Correspondent.)

Paris, Nov. 11,

The Armiatica was signed in the early hours of this morning, the Allied signatories being Marshal Foch and Admiral Sir Kosslyn Wemyss Early this morning 1 hid the good fortune to run into the British signatory at the Embassy It was half-past 11 when the news was given aemi-dfllcially. An hour before this, Marshal Foch, accompanied by Admiral Wemyss,' drove up to the Ministry of War, and was received by M. Clemenceau. A quarter of an hour later M. Clemenceau and Marshal Foich eet out for the Elyaee. The Ministry of tho Interior issued the following instructions this morniiig to the Prefects of Departments! ; "Beflag 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 proclalnation ' to the population: "People of Paris.—lt is victory, triumphal victory, on all fronts. The enemy. vanquished, has laid down his arms, and 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 colors and the colors 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 BOULEVARDS. The news of the signature spread like wildfire through Paris, although the! censorship forbade its publication in the first evening One newspaper found a satisfactory means of conveying the information by stating that the 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 leavr;, and they at once set out from the LeWve.Club in char-a-bancs and motor lorries covered with flags. The tremendous ovation that 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 ever calibre which are stalled there wire 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 sils triumjSkant. be'garlanded and draped with the Tricolor of France, washed clean by. the blood of millions. The great anthem which is rising above Paris to-day is being sung again, and full-heartedly and openly, in Strasburg. TJie din under the windows of The Times office is so great that 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, endeavoring to teach a charming young Parisienne the Irish Jig. Our men are among the most kissed people 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 tiot A flower stall in Paris which is not sold lout, and girls are rushing round the streets pressing sprigs of mimosa into the hands of poilus and Tommies, who are rapidly forgetting how to be embarrassed. The whole city baa spontaneously taken a holiday, shops are shut, and banks deserted. . Evervflnng that moves on wheels is careering up and down the streets, with people clustered on it on the top, sides and foot'! Itoards, all waving flags and cheering madly.