THE NEW MONTE CARLO

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 177, 30 June 1925, Page 10

THE NEW MONTE CARLO

CHANGE IN MANAGEMENT.

“FLEECING” OF THE LAMB. A story of Alonte Carlo under the new control, under which the oTd-time courtesy is replaced by strict methods of modern business, is told in a Chicago paper by Mr H. K. Modenvell. Writing from Alonte Carlo he says:—“This is the tale told by the fleeced lamb who emerges from the Alonte Carlo casino, shivering in the cold world of reality, Whether it is true that the new Alonte Carlo is actually so different from that of the good old days, who can say ? But that the Jamb now bleats in a different tone of voice is a fact that the visitor to the Riviera may confirm for himself, The difference between the good old days and the bad new days has nothing to do with the fact of the fleecing, but with the way it is done. The visitor used to be fleeced as a gentleman. Now lie says, he is fleeced as ordinary live stock. “In the good old days—say. before 1922—file visitor entered the casino und was greeted by gentlemen in morning coats, offered his calling curd or his passport for inspection, paid a small lee for an admission card and was pompously ushered into tho den of sin. There the noblesse oblige of gamblers was the law. One might play 5 francs or 5000. One might study the wheel and stroll off without playing. One might make a lucky win and walk away without feeling lie was ‘no sport.’ When one gave a tip to the croupier it was received with a courteous bow. THEN THE AIETHODS CHANGED. “But about two years ago, the lamb lias heard, the famous, the mysterious Sir Basil Zaharov bought a majority of the stock in the gambling, syndicate which goes by the innocent name oi Sea Bathing Club (Socicte des lfuins de Aler). It must have cost him dear, for stock in this corporation used not to he quoted on the Bourse, it was so expensive. Anyway, about this time the technique of shearing was suddenly modernised. “The admission fee has been raised to the highest point the traffic will bear. The gentlemen in morning coats do not care a dash if your elbows are emerging from your sleeves so long as you have a bank roll. Once inside the den ol sin you have to sin quickly and get out when your money is gone. No longer may you stand for hours before the wheel in thought! ul attitude and work out your system. You are approached by one of the morning coats and informed that the bathing club is not bathing for its health. “No longer do the croupiers how when you magnanimously pass 20 francs into the eagnotte or kitty. Rather they pass the kitty to you and tell you now much to contribute. For they, too, poor dears, are ground under the iron heel of the new system. Sir Basil, it would seem, has demanded a share of the kitty. It is unsportsmanlike, say the croupiers—and pass the cost on to the ultimated consumer, the tourist.

OH! SO VERY DIFFERENT. “No longer does the visitor emerge saying to himself: 'Well, well! So that is Monte Carlo! Won’t Aunt Matilda he shocked when 1 tell her! Been gambling among English lords and the cream of the bon ton. There certainly aren't many members of my church who ever lost fifty dollars at Monty. That was money well Spent.’ No. Now-a-clays the emerging lamb bleats: ‘That sure is a well-organised boob-trap, and I'jn the grand imperial Jboob. Could have spoilt a whole day at Palm" Beach for the price of five minutes at Monte Carlo.’ “And the final insult! In the good old days, when you had lost all your jack at the wheel, the Prince of Monte Carlo gave you a second-class ticket to your home, and sandwich money for the trip. Now you are kicked out and left to starve.”