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Conger Reynolds newspaper clippings, 1916-1919

1916-07-15 Des Moines Capital Clipping: ""Indescribable Scenes as Mlle Chenal Sings the Marseillaise to Vast Crowd in Paris Theater"" by Conger Reynolds Page 1

Indescribable Scenes as Mlle Chenal Sings the Marseillaise to Vast Crowd in Paris Theater
BY CONGER REYNOLDS
Conger Reynolds in Paris Writes for Capital 
Conger Reynolds, well known Des Moines newspaper man who is now connected with the journalistic department of the state university at Iowa City, is in Paris.
Mr. Reynolds in this article continues his description of a remarkable patriotic demonstration in Paris, July 14th, a say corresponding to our own July 4th.
This is only the first of a series of articles which Mr. Reynolds will write from Paris for The Capital. He expects to return from France for the opening of the state university in September.
PARIS, FRANCE, July 15. -- IN the days of peace, Paris had accustomed to celebrate the Fourteenth of July with a great dress parade of the troops stationed here.
Such parades had been noted as the occasions when the army showed itself at its best in dress and in precision of parade movements. They had been merrily great military shows. Paris had not for many years seen a parade so fraught with real significance. The men who participated had come from battle where they had left many of their comrades dead. And in a day or two they would be back in battle, facing death themselves for the safety and glory of country.
Commenting on this fact, the Paris newspapers today point out that never before did Paris celebrate the national day with so little mere brilliance and so much passionate yet calm enthusiasm having serious import as a manifestation of their thoughtful patriotism.
SOLDIERS OF FRANCE.
Description of one more incident will complete the story of this enthusiasm. At the Opera Comique, there came at the close of the afternoon's entertainment a spectacle entitled, "The Soldiers of France."  It was a historic pageant of the time when "Le Chant du Depart" and "La Marseillaise" became the batle songs of France. By virtue of its being staged in a theater owned by the government it was possible for it to have a significance which such a spectacle could not have in a theater operated for private gain.
Fully half of the audience was composed of officers and soldiers in uniform. Many wore bandages. many had crutches at their sides. Many had empty sleeves. Some were behind dark glasses and in the care of nurses or friends. These men knew what service to country was.
For four hours before the spectacle, the audience listened with every evidence of appreciation to the singing of "Manon." The best parts of the opera and the singing of the principals were applauded with such abundant generosity that it seemed that enthusiasm would surely wear out before the afternoon was over thru exhaustion of powers of attention and physical energy.
THE FINAL ACT.
Finally "Manon" was finished. The curtain went up on a scene of the period of the first revolution. Off stage as if in the distance, sounded the roll of the drums, the blare of the bugles, the music of a band. It was "Le Chant du Depart," rolling and swelling as it came nearer in the pronounced march time of its ensemble.
There was a rapturous burst of applause at first, then general and continued hand-clapping as the players, dressed in the uniforms of the periods came on the stage and their playing became almost thunderous in its volume. With them were revolutionary soldiers marching with fixed bayonets.
Then verse by verse this splendid old marching song was sung by actors representing a legislator, a soldier, a mother, a young girl, and a financee. After each verse orchestra, drum, bugles, band and voices were consolidated in the resounding chorus. And each time they finished in the midst of applause that outdid the volume of the sound they furnished.
A REMARKABLE CLIMAX.
Then the climax! The marching song had been fininshed. The orchestra struck up "La Marseillaise." The ranks of the soldiers parted and revealed at the back of the stage Madamoiselle Chenal, the singer whom all France loves, draped in the tri-color, her head thrown back, left arm extended, eyes blazing upward. It was as if she were expressing the pride and fiery valor of France. Only a moment she stood so. Then she was at the front of the stage and the chorus had closed behind her. She half-crouched, as her eyes swept the audience, and she began in a tone almost fierce the first verse of the song. She rose to her full height again and spread wide the colors.
(Continued on Page Fourteen.)

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Indescribable Scenes as Mlle Chenal Sings the Marseillaise to Vast Crowd in Paris Theater BY CONGER REYNOLDS Conger Reynolds in Paris Writes for Capital Conger Reynolds, well known Des Moines newspaper man who is now connected with the journalistic department of the state university at Iowa City, is in Paris. Mr. Reynolds in this article continues his description of a remarkable patriotic demonstration in Paris, July 14th, a say corresponding to our own July 4th. This is only the first of a series of articles which Mr. Reynolds will write from Paris for The Capital. He expects to return from France for the opening of the state university in September. PARIS, FRANCE, July 15. -- IN the days of peace, Paris had accustomed to celebrate the Fourteenth of July with a great dress parade of the troops stationed here. Such parades had been noted as the occasions when the army showed itself at its best in dress and in precision of parade movements. They had been merrily great military shows. Paris had not for many years seen a parade so fraught with real significance. The men who participated had come from battle where they had left many of their comrades dead. And in a day or two they would be back in battle, facing death themselves for the safety and glory of country. Commenting on this fact, the Paris newspapers today point out that never before did Paris celebrate the national day with so little mere brilliance and so much passionate yet calm enthusiasm having serious import as a manifestation of their thoughtful patriotism. SOLDIERS OF FRANCE. Description of one more incident will complete the story of this enthusiasm. At the Opera Comique, there came at the close of the afternoon's entertainment a spectacle entitled, "The Soldiers of France." It was a historic pageant of the time when "Le Chant du Depart" and "La Marseillaise" became the batle songs of France. By virtue of its being staged in a theater owned by the government it was possible for it to have a significance which such a spectacle could not have in a theater operated for private gain. Fully half of the audience was composed of officers and soldiers in uniform. Many wore bandages. many had crutches at their sides. Many had empty sleeves. Some were behind dark glasses and in the care of nurses or friends. These men knew what service to country was. For four hours before the spectacle, the audience listened with every evidence of appreciation to the singing of "Manon." The best parts of the opera and the singing of the principals were applauded with such abundant generosity that it seemed that enthusiasm would surely wear out before the afternoon was over thru exhaustion of powers of attention and physical energy. THE FINAL ACT. Finally "Manon" was finished. The curtain went up on a scene of the period of the first revolution. Off stage as if in the distance, sounded the roll of the drums, the blare of the bugles, the music of a band. It was "Le Chant du Depart," rolling and swelling as it came nearer in the pronounced march time of its ensemble. There was a rapturous burst of applause at first, then general and continued hand-clapping as the players, dressed in the uniforms of the periods came on the stage and their playing became almost thunderous in its volume. With them were revolutionary soldiers marching with fixed bayonets. Then verse by verse this splendid old marching song was sung by actors representing a legislator, a soldier, a mother, a young girl, and a financee. After each verse orchestra, drum, bugles, band and voices were consolidated in the resounding chorus. And each time they finished in the midst of applause that outdid the volume of the sound they furnished. A REMARKABLE CLIMAX. Then the climax! The marching song had been fininshed. The orchestra struck up "La Marseillaise." The ranks of the soldiers parted and revealed at the back of the stage Madamoiselle Chenal, the singer whom all France loves, draped in the tri-color, her head thrown back, left arm extended, eyes blazing upward. It was as if she were expressing the pride and fiery valor of France. Only a moment she stood so. Then she was at the front of the stage and the chorus had closed behind her. She half-crouched, as her eyes swept the audience, and she began in a tone almost fierce the first verse of the song. She rose to her full height again and spread wide the colors. (Continued on Page Fourteen.)