E-text prepared by Neville Allen, Malcolm Farmer,
and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
()
PUNCH,
OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
VOL. 147.
September 30, 1914.
CHARIVARIA
The German troops which started out for a "pleasure trip" to Paris arenow reported, owing, no doubt, to the influence of British environment,to be taking their pleasures sadly.
Several reasons have been given for the destruction of Rheims Cathedral.The real one is now said to be the following. Owing to the Red CrossFlag being flown from one of the towers the Germans thought the buildingwas only a hospital.
A Scotsman gifted with much native humour wishes it to be known how gladhe is to see that the Frenchmen have been getting their Aisne back.
It is reported that the Kaiser is proceeding to East Prussia to assumethe chief command there. In Petrograd the news is only credited byextreme optimists.
It does not say much for the enterprise of our English newspapers thatwe should have had to go all the way to India for a reference to whatmust have been an exceedingly clever capture of one of the enemy. "Asthe war progresses," says The Times of India of the 20th ult., "thestories of German brutality become more and more frequent. One instanceis shown in a letter from a German soldier captured in a mail-bag inLorraine."
We have always held that the Turkish sense of humour has beenunderrated. A leading Ottoman statesman has told Der Tag (thenewspaper of that name: the real thing has not turned up yet): "We onlyfear for Germany one thing—her magnanimity towards the conquered, aquality which she shares with the great Turkish conquerors of the past."
There is reported to be an uneasy feeling among the poor in our bigtowns that, if hard times should come, an attempt will be made to foiston them many of the weirder garments which kind-hearted ladies have beenmaking for the troops.
The attention of the public is being directed to the value of fish as afood, in contradistinction, we suppose, to its remarkable qualities as aperfume.
Mr. Lloyd George's statement that "The Prussian Junker is the road-hogof modern Europe" has, we hear, had a curious and satisfactory sequel.Large numbers of adepts in the art of pig-sticking are joining theSportsmans' Battalion which is now in process of formation.
Not the least encouraging result of the War would seem to be that it hasput a stopper on decadent ideas as to dress. Mlle. Gaby Deslys, we read,found herself unable to begin her season at the Palace the week beforelast as her dresses were delayed in Paris.
A London-born Italian organ-grinder who was plying his trade in Waleshas, The Express tells us, enlisted in Lord Kitchener's Army forforeign service, and has left his organ in charge of the recruitingofficer at Barmouth. A pity. It should have made a powerful weapon touse against the enemy.
So much has been written about the brutality of the Germans that itseems only fair to draw attention to an act of humanity on their part.Steps have been taken at Stuttgart, at any rate, to protect prisonersagainst annoyance. "It is," runs a proclamation, "rigorously forbiddenfor any woman to cast amorous glances at British and French prisoners."