"COMME VOUS VOULEZ"

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 135, 9 June 1928, Page 18

"COMME VOUS VOULEZ"

PARISIAN FIRE COMEDY Parisian methods of handling street traffic are sometimes quoted as forming a sort of motoring paradise. Actually, though there is plenty of regulation in printed words, these words are little enforced in practice. Hero is a comic account of the same people '* method of dealing with a fire. Those who have ears to hear, they will hear. "An extensive fire broke out last week in the motor trade district of Levallois-Perret, just outside the Porte <le Champerret. Five motor concerns ■wore involved and hundreds of cars "were destroyed, the damage running into several million francs. The local fire brigade was on the spot in a few minutes and started operations. Shortly afterwards high-powered motor fireengines began to arrive from Paris itself. Now the Corps dcs Sapeurs Pompiers is a regiment of the French Army, and .1 very smart one. Keen rivalry exists between the various •units, and when the Paris men arrived they were- greeted with tho remarks, "What have you come for? This is our fire! Push off and mind your own ■business, etc. " 'ComiKc vous voulcz/ replied the

Paris men, casting a doubtful eye at the conflagration,:instead of tlle heavy streams of water, which they intended to cast, and, with much honking', the engines returned to the city. Twenty minutes later the side of a building collapsed and the fire began to spread all round. The local brigade had to send an urgent, call for help from Paris! A friend of' mino ..happens' to be general manager for one\'p±\ the concerns, and he tells me that ivhen tho blaze was at its height and* scores of_ burning and smouldering cars Vvere being pushed into1 tho street, an excited individual rushed up to him shouting, "Are you tho director? I buy second-hand ears in any condition.' "