The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-19
D|LKE LAUGHS 1T
 THE TALK OF WAR Dark Clouds on Political HOri-
 zon Disappearing LOOKS FOR WORLD PEACE Diplomatic Understandings Between the Worlds Powers Are Satis- factory and Clashes Are
 Unlikely.
BY MARoulsE DE cAsTELLANE.

BY MARQUiSE DE CAsTELLANE.
 Paris, January 1S-sir Charles Dilke has been spending a few days with us, and profited by the occasion to deliver lec- ture on the relations of the various pow CTS throughout the world. The lecturer showed himself very optimistic, and In view of the position he has occupied in his own country in the past, one cannot very well pass his remarks by in silence.
 When during the past 20 years," he said, war was all the time spoken of for the coming spring, l smiled, and today less than ever do I see dark clouds on the political horizon. The various ententes and understandings on various matters are extremely satisfactory and in my opinion calculated to confirm the world s peace which is already very strong from the fact that everywhere the prospect and the responsibilities of war terrify sovereigns and people, e.
 And Sir Charles Dilke believes so little in the possibility of a war that he does not even mention the names of Japan and the United States, not believing even that the title tiff which mas recently oc- cured between the two people could pos- sibly degenerate into racial conflict.
 Are we then assured forever" he asked, from such social catastrophes :? No, am a pacifist, but I consider I am a< far-seeing pacifist. l cannot help saying, therefore, that the wars which have taken fragments of territory from great powers have left permanent effects behind them. But in spite of all that France has never ceased to remain faithful to her policy of peace"
 So if we are to believe so great a politi- elan as Sir Charles Dilke-and he is worthy of all crederce-we can all, Euro peans and Americans alike, sleep soundly in 1908 as we did in 1907."
 Paquin is dead The pretty women Of France and the handsome but severe women of America may well weep, for the great dressmaker is no longer with us to make one and the other perfect types of elegance and distinction.
 The great Paquin of the Rue de la Paix had a supreme gift of fancy. but fancy allied above all to elegance and becoming ness. In the art of dressing women he was not a classic, but a modern, full Of tact and good taste. But this man, who had something of the genius in him, had the pretension, as all geniuses have, to do certain things outside his own profession better than other people.
 Just as the great painter Ingress had only one pretension, that of being a great violin player, so Paquin's pretension was that of being an authority on politics. He showed this in the Dreyfus affair, when, finding himself opposed to Paul Derou- lede he insulted that patriot. Deroulede, however, did not turn his head, and Pa quin returned somewhat shame-faced to his "chiffons."
 In Paquin a striking figure of today dis appears, and a great house also Belongs ffyt. z 41.-a 1..-.. maker may have been an extraordinary beauty, but she will no longer attract to her workroom all the elegant women of the world
 M. Clemenceau, at the age of 6S, who has the burden of the government off his shoulders, sees fit to add to all his other responsibilities that of Joining himselfs by marriage to a very beautiful and charm ing woman That our prime minister should marry is his perfect right, I al- most said his duty, If one believes in the teachings of those who declare that the first duty of mankind on earth is to re- produce
 But M. Cemenceau is marrying an &C., tress-a very great actress, I admit so the choice he has made just that one which is calculated to heighten the dig nifty of the political role which he is play ing? Mime. Caron, who is to become the wife of the premier, is a beautiful woman with striking face, and mysterious eyes framed by dark hair She has for several years charmed the theatregoers of Paris by the beauty of her voice and the beauty of her gestures and attitudes.
 It is nevertheless a curious marriage, and one that will cause a good deal of ink to flow But as a witty Partisan said to me the other day apropos of this mar sn,x t- xrfY,er t1,, comedienne; the comedienne is allylng herself with the comedian. Perhaps he was not far wrong"
 It will be remembered that one of the motives put forward by Miss Morton to obtain her divorce from the Due de Va- lancay was the latter's savage humor, re- suting in a perfect incompatibility be- tween the pair. The sequel proves that this alleged savage humor really did not exist and that the inconpatibility of tenn per was caused by other reasons into which it Is not my duty to inquire.
 The proof is that young duke has just given at his residence of Valencay the most delightful society fete that has been given for a very long time-a dinner of 200 covers, at which there were present all the prettiest women of France and Ma varre, at which all the guests wore Elm pire costumes Of the greatest beauty ana sumptuouSnesS.
 After dinner the guests were enabled to enjoy the spectacle of Napoleon l. danc- ing a gigue with the Empress Josephine, the Queen of Holland with Murat, while Mme Sans Gene piroutted with Marshall Duroc. And all this beautiful fete was organized in honor of Mile. Solange de Lesseps, at whose feet it is said the young Due de Valancay aspred to place his for tune and his great namei