PARIS IN WARTIME

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 240, 7 October 1916, Page 13

PARIS IN WARTIME

{from Onr Own Corresponflent.) PARIS, July 24. THE GREEDY HtTN. tJermany'e avowed designs on Prance, w "hich have been openly disclosed in the gneechee of the Kaiser and in waitings by German statesmen, philosophers, and scientists, have caused much sensation here. ' These designs, says Ml Lavisse, %ie 'aimed especially at France and Belgium. The Germans do not hope to destroy Russia; they wish to push her jack. They do not hope to England; they wish to take away her empire 0 { .tlhe seas. Belgium, on the other hand, fc to disappear completely. "We have conquered it," * ne 7 sa,y. "Our people Trish to keep it, and keep it we must." Aβ to France, so runs the German claim, "we cannot forget that France possesses »large colonial empire, -which -would undoubtedly he of immense service to us." And this is the fate reserved for Continental France: "It is for us of vital interest that we should possess the French coast from Belgium as far as the Bdmme." "Everybody knows," said M. Lavis6e, Dliifais passionate exhortation, "that Germany has constructed upon our frontier the most formidable system of fortresses jaiown. All these German fortresses, these strategic lines, this accumulation of forces on our frontier, do not menace France, according to the German argument; but Toul, "Verdun, and Belfort menace Germany. They propose to advance their frontier to the line of the Meuse. Now, if they were to acquire this line, France would lose all or part of the departments of the Ardennee. the Meuse, jleurthe-et-Moselle, the Vosges, and the territory of Belfort. As they have not dared to name the figure of a war indemnity, it must be enormous. Commonly in Germany they speak of 20,000,000,000 francs, some mention 30,000,000,000, and some as much as 40000,000,000. In summing up, M. Laviese shows that the result would be not only the ruin of France, but the enslavement of ail frenchmen. STALE BREAD. if. Victor Boret, deputy of Vienne— that is to cay, the French Vienne, which nomenclature may be changed—has suddenly 'become famous for a. proposition urith which he has startled the Chamber. Xoie consists of but three clauses, and if voted will certainly render M. Boret more famous still, iby reason, of a possible rising of bakera. New .bread is jnanna to the French, so that M. Boret's measure, -which calls for the sale of nothing 'hut stale loaves, is creating a mild (evolution in the public mind. If passed, tie -bill is to remain in force not only during the >war period, 'but for one year after demobilisation. Any baker selling; bread which is not at least twelve hours old will render himself liable to a fine nnging from sixteen to five hundred fronts. Furthermore, night work is to fee discontinued in all bakeries. The reason that actuated the member for Vienne in bringing in such a proposition is not quite clear. Corn Is plentiful—what then? ■„ M. Borefe •proposition carries a peesimistio ring, totally unjustified iby , facts. Bat there may exist some hidden virtne behind it all. ' "WBVATED ,, WITHOUT ALCOHOL. A medical raagarine has been puWirhing the opinion of airmen against the we of alcohol. The late Lieut Pegoud said that he never took alcohol in any form whatsoever, eaying that it would soon ruin the nerves of anyone engaged on any business that involved ibreathing when Tushing through the air. Many other airmen contribute fimilar lentiments, tihe captain of an airship saying: "Ail of us are absolute abstainers from spirituous liqnore on the airships, for we need to keep clear heads and gound. nerves, and those are things to which alcohol is not favourable. On an airship, it goes just like a Sunday 'ichool; we neither drink nor emoke." MEDALS FOR EVERYBODY. France bag long 'been known as the country of decorations and statues; she abounds in these good things. But after the war every son and daughter of the , Republic will he suitably be-medalled. ;Tfle idea of thus honouring soldiers who viiave distinguished themselves on the •Wood-soaked field of battle is as old as the Caesare, but to 31. Adrien Dariac is due tihe inspiration of decorating the women workers of France. His .plan, set forth before the Agriculture Commission of the Chamber of Deputies, consate of creating a special feminine Order of the now existing Merite Agricole, and awarding same to all those female toilers who, iby laboriously carrying out their daily task, have indirectly helped the country to achieve the final victory. Old peasante, who, in order to replace the younger generations fighting in the; trenches, came out of their well-earned retirement to "give a helping hand," are also to benefit by the proposed new honour. "MY NAME'S MacGREGOR." The "Matin" recounts a strange story of the meeting of two brothers at tihe front, after a separation of twenty-five •years. A quarter of a century ago gregor migrated to Canada, and eventu■ally lost all trace of his family. When eeated at a cafe table at Meteren, in the 25orth of France, recently, together with other Canadian soldiers, the prodigal was oo" little startled by hearing someone address another khaki-clad warrior as iMacgregor. The coincidence was guch that the former rose from his Beat to interrogate the other as to his parentage. It wae then established between the two that they were indeed brothers, and the ihappy reunion was. duly feted. Both these men ihad thus, by a strange working of things, been drawn together in the 'peat battlefield. "It's an ill wind that fiowe nobody good." FOOD EXPLOITERS FOILED. Co-operative buying by associations of coniumers is fast developing from the present food situation in France. It is likely to assume 6uch proportions as to Worry those dealers who have profited from the state of war 'by exacting war profits on provisions that have been so abundant as to justify normal prices. A well known actress, a woman lawyer, and an authoress of renown, form one of the "co-operatives," as they are called at. the central markets. Three times a week they get out with their market fcaskqtg early enough to the "Halles" for the 7 o'clock sales, and 'by combining their requirements get nearly everything they need for the table at wholetale price. Provisions bought at the tentral markets are not delivered at the domicile by the seller, which has always been an obstacle to individual Marketing there. The money saved was no more, and often less, than the price of a cab to carry the purchases home. The co-operative system removes thie obstacle, as the same cab delivers to three or four families, leaving a good "iwgin of profit on tha day'e market-