Pot-Pourri

The U. S. dollar was adopted by all transatlantic steamship lines in Paris as the sole standard for determining passage rates. Even British companies have forsaken the pound, and the Government-subsidized French line, La Compagnie Generate Transatlantique, refused to quote prices in francs to French people.

Louis Dorbon, quondam Under Secretary to President Millerand when he was Minister of War, was detained by the U. S. Immigration authorities when he tried to reenter the U. S. M. Dorbon is a well known book-seller and it was suggested that the reason for his detention was the sale in the U. S. of Victor Margueritte's book La Garconne. This, however, was unsubstantiated; the real reason was not given. Said M. Dorbon: "I have crossed from New York to Paris 21 times. Never have I been held up in this way before. It is incomprehensible to me. I will sell my book shop in New York and return to Paris if the Americans do not appreciate me!"

At Toulon in the south of France a diver, who was working on the submerged wreck of the cruiser Liberte, was attacked by a huge octopus. The account reads: "The diver, Jean Negri, fought desperately with the monster under water for some time. He was finally able to free one arm and plunge his trident into its body. The octopus held fast. Negri gave the signal to be hauled up. When his companions saw the writhing monster emerge they were panic-stricken, but the plight of their comrade appeared so serious that they went to his aid and cut the brute to pieces with their knives."

Senator Massabuau discovered a novel way of increasing France's declining birthrate. He introduced into the Senate a bill providing "that only fathers of three children be eligible to hold public office." The Senator wanted the bill passed at once; but as such a measure would make many distinguished men ineligible for election, including Premier Poincare himself, the vote was deferred.

The three Fratellini Brothers, clowns, were awarded academic palms for cheerfulness by the French Government. This was said to be the first time such an award had been made since the days of court jesters.

The enigmatical Pertinax in the Echo de Paris had no kind comment to make upon President Coolidge's message to Congress: "It is an outline of American policy exclusively directed toward attaining her own particular ends, in spite of the fine sounding phrases, which to our ears smack of the pulpit rather than the rostrum."

The Goncourt Academy awarded the 5,000-franc ($300) Goncourt literary prize to M. Lucien Fabre, an automobile engineer, who wrote Rabevel, a family history in three volumes. The importance of winning the prize lies in the prestige it gives the winner and in the increased book sales which result.

Le Matin, Paris journal, told a story about the widow of the French Consul at Yokohama, who was killed in the earthquake, claiming a pension:

"Madame," said an apostle of red tape, "as your husband was not drowned in a shipwreck, you have a right to only one-quarter of his salary for a pension. It is unfortunate for you that he was not drowned, as then you would have got three-quarters."

"But he died at his post," said the woman.

"He died by accident," the official replied, "and it is the rule that in cases of accident the pension is only one-quarter of the salary."

"But the Consulate fell down on him and killed him," she insisted.

"Accident," replied the official laconically.

Le Matin continued: "When one thinks that this happened in a Ministry of which France is justly proud and at the head of which is a man of great intelligence and sense of justice, one wonders what happens in other Ministries. Above the imbecility of rules, should not there be common sense and pity?"

The French Academy decided to disburse some 3,000,000 francs ($200,000) from the foundation of 25,000,000 francs left by M. Cognacq, a wealthy department store owner of Paris, to recompense deserving families of large size and so encourage an increased birth rate. Eighty-eight fathers whose families number from 10 to 13 children are to receive premiums of 25,000 francs. Of these 56 are farmers or farm workers, four mechanics, four carpenters, two professors, 22 manual workers. Twelve hundred fathers, whose offspring ranges from six to nine children, are to receive 10,000 francs apiece.

As a result of a stinging exchange of personal charges through the newspapers, M. Camille Aymard, political director of La Liberte and famed big game hunter, challenged M. Herriot, leader of the Radical bloc in the Chamber of Deputies, to a duel, and sent Ernest Outrey, Deputy for Indo-China, and M. Maspero, ex-Governor of Indo-China, to M. Herriot, as his seconds. They were referred to Deputies Edouard Daladier and Alexandre Varenne, seconds for M. Herriot. The seconds were to meet to decide whether a duel was warranted and, if so, how it was to be fought.