Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-26


ternational law practice He went to Paris,
on weeks notice. to live on his brother,
who, as chance would have 1t. was just givs
ing up Partisan life to return to honest
work at home. The two crossed each Other
on the high seas, and the tenderfoot was
ignorant that the other doing the best for
him possible. had arranged for a friend to
meet him at the wharf. When the friend
introduced himself he was turned down as
continental bunco-Steerer. and the young
American landed friendless In Paris. With
two dollars in his pocket he took room at
the Grand Hotel. Then. after wash-up
and hearty breakfast, he went to the con.
sul's office. The consul being out. he sent
the office boy to buy him cigarettes hung
up his hat. sat back in an easy chair, with
his feet table. and began to make O
study of Galignani's Messenger.
Come in" he cried. cheerily. in answer TO
knock. The visitor was smart-ooking
New Yorker.
rs this the consuls Officer"
TT is
national law" began the other, and would
like to get sone information"
That is what l am here for replied the
tenderfoot. promptly. He had studied Jaw
at home. and in five minutes held the
threads of the New Workers. difficulty.
Without knowing the first thing of inter-
national procedure or the French code. he
gave the inquirer an Imaginative on-hand
Opinion" But l would prefer to write IL
out for YOU" he added. with an air of prac-
teal good sense. I'VE might take lunch
together"
The New Yorker was delighted TO find n
legal opinion that agreed perfectly with MS
own. Here Is my card he said. And
am staying at the Hotel Bristol 1t was
the card of an American millionaire. whose
name household word. In high
spirits the nervy youth FASTENED to the Of
flee of a real international lawyer, whose
address he fshed out of the Bottn. Il &C.
knowledge the thing is too big for me- ne
explained. land propose that We so halves.
1t was big thing. and the other saw IL
instantly. Having to do with delicate ne.
gotiations over customs duties at critical
period they lived on the case two months,
and well pleased the rich New Yorker
that crumbs fell to them from his table for
years after. 1t was. moreover. the Begin
ming of a meteroic career for the im-
II omptu international lawyer, whose strong
point. apart from his nerve, was To conceal
miraculously from his clients and from col
leagues his complete and perfect Ignorance
of international law.
The tale would lose instructiveness wltn'
out its ending. Unfortunately for MIN, our
Young friend had slight yellow streak.
Partisan gay life and a tendency to over
reach himself proved his undoing AFTER
five years he left town. owing $4,000, with
a good sum of money in his pocket. ana
the international hue and cry at his heels.
His last raising of the wind was charac-
teristic. One Saturday afternoon after
banking hours, he telephoned to large im-
porting house to ask II they could spare
the consul 5000 francs till Monday morn
ing He was not the consul. hut he got
the 5000 francs. Like the American who
starved in Paris. he might have done some-
thing of the same kind at home.
Five Sure Crafts.
In general the resources of the dead-broka
American in Paris are fivefold. or six, II
the consul and ambassador be counted, al
they ought not to be. because they are SO
null and void. These are % the American
churches. CD the American bars. (3> the
address book of the colony in all its uses
"a the guide-interpreter act in all its
phases and 90 the American pensions and
boarding hotels. | purposely omit all
swindling of con0ding poor French fani-
lies Paris tradesmen and your concierge as
being unsportsmanlike. Unlike the Eng
fish, the American reputation is still good
in Paris, and to do anything to spoil Il 10
that thing worse than a crime. The dead
broke American will always do best to stick
to his own people as the most remunerative
and the safest course IL IS not nice TO be
expelled summarily as having no visible
means of support on the complaint of an
outraged native.
As for the representatives of the United
States, the government leaves them wide
discretion in giving alms-out of their pock-
cts. Not one cent does the country provide
for Repatriation" The subjects and citi-
zens of every other government may count
confidently on their c0nsuls in the last re-
sort. There are funds for the purpose OF
regathering them into the home fold.
Alone the great republic of the west has
confidence enough in the initiative of her
sons to leave them to their own devices in
foreign land. sick, starving. wounded-it
Is all the same to Uncle Sam. 1t becomes
amusing when the French government,
standing arrogantly alone in its treaty.
stipulated right to eNpel foreigners without
cause stated. seeks to deal with undesirable
Americans. To our honor there few
presidents; indeed, am not sure that there
is one brought to Its inevitable conclusion,
which would have to be the towing of the
victim out beyond the three-mile limit into
the Atlantic, straddling an inexpensive log,
with his face pointing to the Jersey coast,
Working the Teas.
In this connection we would recommend
teas" (by I'VE" meaning honest members
of the colony who are almost tempted to
quit working and live as the lotus-eaters).
The colony being held together by these
teas" they form a precious means Of
making acquaintance, everybody Civ.
ing teas, even the men; and as they are
comfortable stations the road to din,
ners supper theater parties and the remu-
nerative game of poker, the dead-broke
American is careful to take in many az
the week permits. 1t is not, ut home.
hard TO break into-I will not say SOCIETY"
but at least the companionship Of the wells
to-do; in Paris every American is suppcs-
eddy an idler with little money. so that he
is passed along from tea to tea without
much scrutiny. AT teas one meets Idle,
mdde-aged ladies, willing to pay even more
than their own way sightseeing. At teas
one meets good-natured I'D coigers. drag
Sed tnere Dy their wives or daughters who
turn out to be gold mines to borrowers. In
expensive. genial teas-why sometimes at
them there are nutritious sandwiches and
cups of Strengthening chocolate to be had
for the taking!
"CadEfnE."
There is another o'clock tea function
that comes off daily in the "bars'-Amer-
ican-always American. although there Is
not one American bartender in the capital.
The floating tourist population floats into
them many harbors Of repose and
safety. Why should not the genial tourist
pay tax to the brother in foreign land?
The borrower turks in the oars. There are
some feilow-citizens in Paris who sniff at
any loan under SO bill. Their tale of woe,
told with a manly frankness. sounds true-
indeed. it is true. They need money. Pers
haps they have been reckless, even dissl.
pated. So are we dssipated. too. and reck,
less. Here take 50! 1t Is the great act of
"cadging," and the tourist victim learns
how much it eats into his resources only
when he makes up his monthly account.
The guide-interpreter act has close rela-
lions with the American bars. -Four times
in five the whooping American with every
disposition to paint Paris red. speaks not
word of French. Nor can he know his way
10 f,1l