PARIS DANCING MAD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19812, 2 December 1919, Page 2

PARIS DANCING MAD.

CRAZE PROVES COSTLY. Ifc is difficult to realise that we are threatened with lean days in Paris (writes John Bell in “The Daily News”). We are menaced with a shortage of meat and wheat; and though people arc not thinking of cold weather, they are, told to got their oilstoves ready for the coming winter, as coal will bo scarce. The prospect that tho future holds forth is gloomy. Hut what of tho present? There are certain happenings in Pans just now which arc causing tho authorities some anxiety. Subdued'during tho war, the spirit of levity conspicuous by its absence. Paris is now in the grip of a pleasure movement, an orgy of spending, a whirlwind of extravagance. Prices of all tilings that a human being needs have, reached fantastic heights. People, marvel, but they buy the things all the same. And they are purchasing more than they did before the war, and paying about three times as much. A striking commentary on France’s financial imbroglio. Acting on the assumption that people have, so much money that they welcome, every pretext, that ona,lilts them to get rid of it, pleasure promoters have, arisen by the thousand. 1 am not referring to the “The-Danse, 1 ’ an institution to be found all over the city, and particularly in those quarters described as “cljic. Yet ond is entitled to ask why tea in some of these places should cost as much as ten francs a cup! There arc more people dancing in Paris just now than before the wat, when the city was considered gay. And to gratify the dancing passion clubs have been started. The basic principle of the proprietors of some of these establishments is that those who frequent them must lie prepared to pay dearly for their pleasure. Monsieur So-and-So receives n free ticket for two persons to attend a select dancing club. His name has been obtained from a directory. He is in the pleasure movement, and he goes. Klfusively welcomed, ho soon discovers that the proprietor of this select dancing club is far from being n disinterested person. Before, he leaves the cloak, room he has parted with several francs, immediately ho enters the ball-room a '•mitre cl’hotel approaches, and with a ceremonious bow asks his pleasure as to what he and his companion shall drink, Hetoro he can reply, brands of champagne roll from the tongue of the polished maitro d’hotcl. To say that he does not requite champagne is not enough. To order and pay for it ig do riguour, whether he likes it or not. ■lt, costs fifty francs a bottle without the luxury tax. Granted that Monsieur &Mnd-Bo and in apa r tner |la ve not gone 'to the club to dritik, hut to dance. M ell, they do dortce, And after they tei ho f * w tum 3 gontiema-ft tvHCW stive is ae impeccable is, his dancing sppreadhCE, and asks toon, ueur s permission to dance with hiv parttur. This gentleman it as little dism Arrested as the ladies in' the cloakroom -nd the tositre d’hote!, for when companion prepare to leave ho declares his quality,” as they say here which is that of dancing protestor, and demands his foo, which he puts nt twenty-five and fifty francs. tins is one method of polite robbery of pleasure-seekers introduced since the armistice and the signing of peace. I here are others, which f understand are being brought lo (he notice of M. Bams, Minister of the Interior.