Reds Again

The reign of terror lasts more than two hours. Then it is dark and the lights are on. The police are still busy breaking up small groups left along the streets, Stragglers are driven into subway kiosks; the streets are cleared of barricades and rubble which was piled high by police as well as civilians.

Chief of Police Roger Leonard, cornered by a few newspapermen who managed to stumble upon him, is too much a caricature of himself as the calculating chief who has just ordered his private army to wipe out the mob. He wears a chesterfield, a black homburg, high-topped white collar and pearl stick-pin.

"It was the newspapers like 'L'Hu-manite' and 'Ce Soir'" he says "that incited people to disobey me and start manifestations outside the limits set by police orders. A few excited elements then incited others to riot."

Shrugging off questions about civilian casualties, he steps into his car and is driven away.

(Stanley Karnow. in "U.S. National Guardian," 23/11/48.)