OUR PARIS LETTER

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 37, 13 February 1930, Page 23

OUR PARIS LETTER

BANNED BOOKS "IMMORTALS" & M. POINCARE \ . —— (From "Tho Post's" Representative.) PAKIS, lltU December. The meeting of the French Academy, just held, was notable for the unanimous satisfaction expressed at the news of the improved state of health Of one of its. most illustrious members, M.. Eaymond Poincare. This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the statesman's election to a seat among the "immortals." During those years the Academy has included no momber who has been more assiduous and punctual, for he has found time to take part in its deliberations often amid the stress of political business. It is on the card, that- the Academy will give expression to its gratitude to M. Poincare by celebrating the anniversary as goon as the state of bis health permits. It is thought, however, that this tribute will be of a private character. Among the other matters discussed by the Academy at its last meeting was the date of the reception of Marshal Petain, who has been elected in succession to Marshal Foch. No decision was reached, but it is considered probably that the ceremony will be held early next year. BANNED BOOKS APPEAL. M. Louis Barthou, Minister of .Justice, proposes to raise the technical legal bau which still condemns such famous books as Flaubert's '' Madame Bovary," Baudelaire's "Les lfleurs dv Mai," and Eichepin's "La Chanson dcs Gueux." The French law, as regards alleged obscene works, at present lays down that once a book has been condemned it remains so, and that it is not possible to secure a revised judgment in later years when public opinion has changed. Tho three works ■ named above, though they are printed in many editions, still remain legally banned, and are liable to be destroyed by order of tho . police. M. Louis Barthou proposes that after an interval of 20 years an appeal may hi lodged at tho discretion of the Authors' Society or at the demand of the author himself or his heirs-at-law. This appeal will be heard, by the Supreme Court of Appeal, whose verdict will then be final. £800 HANDS. One hears a good deal about the enormous tips earned or gained by hallporters, head-waiters, ship-stewards and others who wait upon the wealthy, but one can only guess at the sums placed silently in the palm of tho hairdresser's assistant, who recently insured his skilful hands for £8000. He has now, naturally, set up_ as establishment of his own, where his clients will doubtlessly follow liim en masse, but whether he will earn as much as he did when he was a single assistant is open to question. But this is only one of the extraordinary phases for which the short hair .vogue is responsible. When women wore their "crowning glory" piled, more or less tidily, on the top of their heads, or pinned painfully at the back of their necks, hairdressers' assistants did not make fortunes so easily, and if long hair returns their ability to make them will probably be lessened, for their services will not bo so often in demand. HEAVYWEIGHT COUETESY. Does the Frenchman's traditional pride in tho, superiority of his manners extend to the world of French professional boxers? A correspopdent of the "Matin"leads one to believe that it does. "I have been going for exercise in the afternoons lately," ho writes, <(to a Paris gymnasium which' is frequented almost entirely by French prize-fighters. They are the most delightful of people, but the thing that strikes one more than anything else about them is the rigidity of their etiquette. Each fresh entrant to the gymnasium must shako hands with everyone who is there, whether he knows them or not, with a bow and a polite 'Bonjour, Monsieur.' On his departure, ho must go through the same ceremony with his 'Au revoir.'' "Even when I am lying prone on my back on tho floor waving my legs in the air and flourishing a four-kilo dumb bell in each hand, I must take the hand of the heavyweight who stops while passing to bid me 'good afternoon.' I tremble to think what would happen if I did not." PAINS CURED BY UNIFOEM. Hobbling as if in great pain, a man went to the Hopital Bichat on Frir day evening and said he wanted a bed, as his sciatica made it impossible for him to walk. The house surgeon on duty felt the applicant's sciatic nerve and observed with some surprise that tho patient was instantaneously relieved. The visitor then complained of hepatic pains. The surgeon examined his liver and found that organ quite sound. As a final effort, the visitor fell to the floor.and pretended to,faint. He remained insensible until the arrival of a policeman. The sight of a blue uniform acted liko a charm, and he confessed that as the nights were becoming cold and he had no home, he thought a hospital bed attractive. He was given shelter for the night in a police station. M. BRIAND'S MOTTO. It may interest many people to know that M. Aristide Briand who, though he ig no longer the French Prime Minister, must still remain an important figure in French politics, has a motto. At least, there is a motto on the seal he uses. It is Latin and runs, "Omnia quao voluit potuit," which, being interpreted, of course, means, "All that he has wished he has accomplished." In fairness to M. Briand, it should be stated that the seal was the gift of an admirer. WHILE "DOUGLAS" SLEPT. Another little tale of "Doug" and Mary and their recent stay in Paris. An ardent young admirer, escorted by his mother, had succeeded in penetrating the outer rooms, where secretaries and confidential maids spent harassed days interviewing would-be interviowcrs, couturiers, and others. Bue he could get no furthor. A polite secretary explained that Donuglas was not well. "In bed, in fact, and asleep." A sniffle and a tear from the little worshipper. Even a signed photograph from the pile on the table offered little consolation. "Couldn't I just ilook at him?" And so hand in hand, on tip-toe, the child and the secretary creep to the door and peep through to whero the "Thief of Bagdad" lies curled up with two inches of dark hair showing above the bed clothes. ' O RAKE HUMILITY! An early work uy a well-known French writer was among the books be louging to the late M. Paul Souday, the eminent literary critic of the Temps. which were sold in Paris recently. M. Souday was in the habit of making pencil annotations on the margins of books* he had to review, and the purchaser found such remarks as "idiotic," "tiresome," and "grotesque" scattered among its pages. Not wishing to monopolise the pleasure he derived from these frank comments, he sent the book, to the author. If ho expected to annoy tha latter, lie was mistaken. The dis-

tinguished man of letters.wrote back that no; only was Paul Souday right, but that ho was too indulgent, as the average numbor of "idiotics" did not exeoed three per page! IMPERFECT DICTION. Once more the Coinedio-Fraucaiso haa coma under fire. Writing in "Comocdia," the theatrical -newspaper, M. Gabriel Boissy doclares that sonio of the actors and actresses aro not careful enough of the reputation of tho first State theatre as a placo where French is spoken correctly. Tho same charge was preferred against the illustrious company not long ago by the late M. Paul Souday, the "prince of critics." M. Boissy takes specific exception to the way the important little word il is pronounced. There is a growing habit. l. says, oven in tho performance of the sacred classics, t-> make it shorter still by not sounding the I—a1 —a slipshod utterance which might be tolerated in a realistic modern play. II ay a, for instance, is rendered gnia as it is in the faubourgs. This bad habit, says M. Boissy, should be checked before it is too late. MORE WOMEN STUDENTS. Women students continue to seek an outlet for their energies by preparing for professionar careers. They are still on tho increase' in the lycees and colleges of the Latin Quarter, and according to M. Maurice Guyot, secretary of the Paris Academy, they numbered 27,350 at the end of the summer term. This was over 500 more than the previous year. ■ '' This increase applies to all the higher studies with the exception of pharmaceutical chemistry. At the Law Faculty, the number this year was 105S, against 1034 last year, and the proportion of the increase is about the same in respect of medicine and the sciences, but is a little higher as regards history and letters. It is a moot point whether the future can fulfil all that is promised to women, as students. Every calling is congested with men and this particularly applies to the. Law, where more women have already made a mark for themselves. As a rule, wherever they make their entry, prove most efficient and many, even if they do not reach the top rung of the ladder, make good marriages. RETURN OF THE "TOPPER." Indications of the return to some measure of popularity of the silk hat, already mentioned in this column, are confirmed by the hatters. Two prominent hatters of the city, when interviewed on the subject, were quite definite about it. "The topper," they said, will certainly ba seen increasingly at the races and at fashionable assemblies. They doubt very much, bowever, if the resplendent headgear will ever return to general wear. One of its chief enemies, declared one hatter, is the low-built motor-car. Bowler hata already are suffering somewhat severely, he said, from sudden and unexpected contacts with the low hoods of modern vehicles, and what would happen to the tall hut in similar circumstances can woll be imagined. From another source one gathered that the tall hat would be worn with braid-edged morning coat and tight trousers.. ... DRAUGHT-BOARD STOCKINGS. Ter. years ago Frenchwomen, although on the point of being introduced to the sports suit, would have opened their eyes wit astonishment if anyone had suggested they should wear heavy brogues, and as for woollen sports stockings—perish the thought! The line of her ankle and the curve of her foot helped in the general effect and charm of her ensemble, and how could line and curve do their part if concealed by wool and heavy leather?, But to-day,,. so soon does change of fashion bring change of thought, that the Parisienue one for her morning constitutional and dressed in woollen sweater and tweed costume, will don tho most sporting of stockings without thiking twice about it. Checks and plaid effects, always beloved of the Frenchwoman, are popular and a girl in the Bois yesterday was wearing stockings with a pattern which resembled a draught-board, and thick shoes in the same colouring.