PARIS IN WAR TIME.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 68, 20 March 1915, Page 14

PARIS IN WAR TIME.

» . ' i?~>j . — {"Star's" Lady Correspondent) ... PARIS, January" 23.. - REEIEVTNG XTNEMPLOTMENT. • In" the midst of the-European-war for " liberty, and faced-with-the gaunt, pros-. pect of the vast economic' arid- industrial' upheaval which' threw a hundred thousand of its citizens out:of work, Paris immediately concerned itself," amidst scores of other absorbing interests, with the most important, prosaic, and; utterly necessary problem of - unemployment. The result is'regarded as absolutely remarkable. Employment under favourable conditions, and with fair rates of pay, was provided speedily for about four thousand.persons, and the rest.are" being systematically : cared . for. .under.municipal auspices, until such .time -as' . business has subsided to its war-time minimum and work is ready for prae-. tically all who want it. "Of course, we" must take care of our unemployed," wai"' the attitude of the Paris .authorities/ "Has- not the. war caused this? Are not the husbands of many of these women fighting for the colours at the - front? Are we not all one in our sue-, cesses; and-our difficulties? Cari-.we.4et" mothers starve or beg while the.fathers fight?" .--.:.. . • ■ SOLDIERS' '/WIVES . CHJXDREN. ■ _.;. ..rli. The wives .and children of the French soldiers receive regular wages- from*" their husbands " and fathers at the . front. In addition, they receive a pension of Ifr 25c per day for the wife' or - mother, and 50c for each child.*'-Those who are ill -receive--still further--assist--' ance- from -the- regular municipal- poor 1 relief fund, and provision has also been ■. made for small shopkeepers an'd"traiiespeople. "A'total ; of" forty C Red' Cross' kitchens-~and-- municipal- kitchene~-'have' been opened"in various- sections -of ■the city. Of these one-half ; are for whprriay obtain an. excellentwariri meal of" nourishmg-food: .'.lor. 25c" "The "city pays" five'centimes a'day-for. each'meal served. In the Red- Cross kitchens- meals' are "also served at the-same rates, and the Red Cross Society-pays the additional cost „ .".' „t.o\\..t j*,'_l" h:jL'J. •~As for-the-women -of Paris, ttey are busy these - days with, the-knitting needles. .balT..ofiyarh.. wrist-bands, and" knee .and body: protectors, are in-great demand at-the.■'front' The National Women's Service ".Leagdel has established; stations- throughout the city,., where wool-is furnished, and five. frahra-.aweefc is'^^paidyforVtneknittmg.oT. five paite'of .woollen socks, the>. maslmuiu. amount..'allowed, to. one_\yprrianV The"ci.ty has -also, establishedthese.^"wcjoi;,'.cen- ;- tres,'';, and- -'ifr.- 50c is -paid for_woolien "soefcsj'arid Ifr"8oe for* cotton, socks.." :- FEELDIG OF CONFTDEHCE. A significant sign of the times, and .;- which makes one realise -that Paris--is free from danger,-is. that •securities..''for one hundred millions' sterling; aire re" turned.from Swiss hanks which had.bee>i deposited. inr -the:._Gerieya branches' of. . banks,-Banque de Paris'e£de>i •Pays -Bas,'- when Paris wii;.threatened 1 with, invasion."'The "Boches** will neyel; ! come 'again. Soon ihey. are going-to .hi tufned^'rightbut of "I^'lfe'^aridp'atked J. across.■ the Rhine..- ••;Thus;" p doe3'' : anpther_ - 1 German bluff-bubble burst. The.war is ' nowhere near au ending, and no man em be certain when'or just, how it will end; but one. fact is palpable, 'arid that *i 3 that{-the-enemy's, "situation•'•ia~;"de«dedry 1 gldomy. ■--■-■— ."__■-. - ■-■-'--■ -- : -WAR.. *.»E~:KDXB.»"~~ ™- The stbrj- "of ?li6Mr~iif e'TwJHT'anTarffiy • aujtpta\Qbfe;appfiaied..t(y 1 m^ac^lugnlyLderffataeifor^ ■ vice.and bis skin, ;bu.t:how- he .w»ij:fruatraited'-hy- • his- rich' old aunt, is- told: with' .much zest -' by; a':.well" known" comic newspaper in •'. • Paris, The story'runs that ma an alitor 1 mobile, drew"" up -before 'the Gare St. i I^Me ; ; the-;; - i young; • ; wearing- the ; -iinifbrm-'oi^afi'jpivatig jumped out and embraced an-oWTidy '".-' ~ who. waliijiz'"for"TJfinT^ t i "C'Dear'. ' . , month of Sundays since I Jaat saw you." ' "Yes,'' said .the old lady,""l, only got * i back to Paris yesterday. How nice you ; 100k,..my-dear boy; how proud I am of.;you." : "•'■..■..'.-..-'.'... : -'.*-.- -.'-...\-;l_: ;'■-■.' -1 ", .'•You. ought.",to; be,"- auswcied ;her ■nephew."l'vegone through a lot;' lean tell you." ■'•'■-'.■• ! *.'- '.•Tell'me," said-the. old.lady, affection- " ' ately pressing'the arm her nephew had • politely offered ,fpr_^her support: - ; 'Well, it's just-this wayj you iMfc~';ii t didn ? t see the fun - of•» carrymg-a - knanr '\ ?' sack, and trudging along, and as for the ■ trenches, the very'idea of the mole's life » you lead there,; and. the-danger, .and' all ) the. rest of it made my hair fairly stand : ' on;;end;. '-So;"I..-y-plii&teeiBdK for .service ;. with;-my anto arid was rat. once'aecepted. , ; Then came the first setback—they actrf--1 ally wanted to put a machine-gun'in the ; tonneau. T*didtft r care"for" that sort of : work, so I bought another machine, and i abandoned my. 50-h.p 'It coat:2ojooofr^ . but ,my skirt is Vworth- that,* isn't-it, i auntie? Unlortunaielyi,; however,-ithp i little, machine struck the,eye;x>f, *-gejfc . Statin; ?Jwj&J&:BJ^istfelWßi*ffl*& > made v me;his; : chauffer, i of September he caught-.cold,- and left ine .'• and my auto.for-a-elpsed-machine.-;.■-!»'. war," you know, one needs, resolution and.energy.. I bought another machine, \ a big limousine, running-smoothly-and slowly, arid offered 4t|to the general. It , tickled him to death, but it cost mc 30,000fr. more. But-.my'Bkin is worth that, .isn't ;it,; auntie;?!: And ;npw v yotur nephew, from- danger-till'-the -end - of:the, war. -Truly- is the French-soldier - a'marvel of .ingeniousness and adapt a-.bnity"^"';;.:~4.;r^'-C"''--"ci.-;^v"-'fe j TTell mc, expect .'to ne- myrheir; don't ypu? .. Well,;.;remembejr,;l..am ij». - ~ woman pLmy.wpid. X ypu; dp ribt'leayJß , yonj autos and your generals, and. the. rest of your; mollycoddling, tind- if you i don't, go and -take -your ■ place in -the trenches, and do your-best-to get-killed- • beforethis^-war -is-oyer,-you wont-get 'asou of my money." - .-.— £-- -C„ And'-the indignant ■bldlladyJriiorcd" off, ; head in' the- airj-leavirig-Ker discohcarted nephew to face.'the situation "as -bcst'Cue . could."". '-"-.".'."'..".'•"?'-""!... .'v.'.'.'".'...;'■"'' •';•" BEtGI7aN;.RBrTrjGEES.;IhL.i'. Women are continuing to work-in'the war,?arid "some well-known.. French and. English' women'-'. inL-.tiiig.. city. have, recently,'esteblishe.d.'"a.:;. home.- for.-. Belgian -refugees;-at Versailles.. -There are over-twp hundred- women-and -ehil- - dren being cared for there now, ..Among I them is a wdmari; with'nine childreri', who' I waUied with ;thein all' the.'wSy'to' Paris' (from her Belgian; home.:;Hef *.t\vo'srifs'(are with the Belgian .army,.an.d s'n.e'does. | not.-know what;has. become .of her ihua'" i band. - ' ".'".. - ■ .-■-- -'■-"■ - -■ ■■-- ■■■-■-"-.;*.' ,-i-- ..^'.^^V/wVuV:,':-,