The sun., 1908-12-13
ALL FRANCE ASKS A RIBBON
NEARLY 1900 APPLICATIONS
F0R THE ACADEMIC PALMS.

~ Ter the Benent OF ffytnB Hacnsbe
Mep-PFOef Of the Saving Habita Of
the Freneh--I.0uFdes and Its visitors.
PAHle. Dec. Ait Is not true that every
Frsnchman wears decoration; there are
still eotne who lack the right to adorn
the btfttonholes of their coats with a
ribbon. and Of these some" no less than
l4.7ss live in hopes Of attaining that
right III January next. as they have sent
their names and claims In to the Ministry
oE Public Instruction begging M. Dou-
nisfgue, the Minister, to include them
among the bearers OF the Academic
Palms with the right to wear the violet
ribbon Of that decoration.
This Is the largest number OF candidates
Oh record. Among the 14.7ss are many
siiterary persons "artistes.' dancers.
: typewriters, shorthand clerks male and
female; 342 midwives. 81 massage men
(nine being colored). 6s corn doctors hope
% be among the favored and I23 base
their claims on being members of that
ilI1stSious body the General Confedera-
tibn OF Labor
All these requests will be examined by
ske Ministry Of Public instruction. First
Of all. all those coming from claimants
under 20 years of age will be thrown out;
then those bearing illegible names or
addresses (there are always great num-
ber every year, will go. Candidates gen.
orally lay great stress on the services
they have rendered the Government at
election times, but these though useful
in dealing with Deputy do not carry
20 much weight with Minister. A can
didsts who can produce intellectual
claims lectures given. pamphlets written.
books. contributions to newspapers, &c.)
IL in o better position. and next to him the
man who has done work for society, in
managing school savings hanks. shoot
ing clubs charitable institutions.
But no request for decoration is worth
sending to the Ministry il the candidate
cannot get a recommendation from a
Senator or Deputy to accompany 1t; the
requests have grown 80 in number that
those not bearing such a recommendation
stand no chance Of being examined.
d. Jules Coutant. the father OF dozen
children (as he is fond of reminding the
Chamber). neutrality-suspicious. mem
berof parliament and Mayor OF the Paris
suburb Of Ivry. is happy man. for his
latest exploit has made him the talk OF the
tcnn. He has placarded Ivry with this
notice. eH s.
me municipality informs the public that
il vii hold itself at its service ut the City
Han every first Sunday In each month.
from 10 A. NJ. to midday. for the celebration
% c{pif ba utisma --
Declarations should be made at the ONCE
of The Mayors secretary at least four days
before the ceremony.
~ Coutant thus explains the method of
procedure to be adopted:
fflhs parents come to the City Hall with
the future godparents. await them sirs
With my mayoral scarf around my waist.
make them give their names. ages, ad-
dfeeaes, DO. and then ask the parents: do
you accept H. and Nine X as godparents
o< yotf child!" Naturally they say yes.
Then say TO the godparents something
,kes this; In life there are many hazards
ibbiphrents of this little child may die. Do
yon nndeftake.. II that should happen, to
Teise their child In republican IDEALS to direc;
itfin the path Of duty. honor and social
solidarity? ~ II. they say yes it's all over,
! kies the child. and 1t has henoeforth two
fathers and two mothers and offer a bag
yf candies 10 the godmother as souvenir
OF the ceremony. When this service be-
sins. which wont be till january. hope 10
ba. able to hand over to the parents sav-
inee bank book with q fve franc deposit
IN their child 3 name.
The touring committee of the French
Ahtomobile Club evidently believes in
iNEihg time by the forelock, for it has
ided TO bring out a new map Of France
- which all distances will be marked
bgsWeen towns as the GROW flies, this for
IL benefit Of aerial naviKators. A |
second map is to show the most suitable
landing points for aviators. such as race
ootirses, military maneuvring grounds
and stretches Of fat country, y
Aeronauts frequently complain Of the |
diflculty Of recognizing the towns over
which they pass. The touring committee |
proposes to obtain the consentsof munich |
paiit;es. railway companies and others 1
to fix immense colored signs
On sthe roofs Of town halls, stations and |
ofier prominent buildings. The signs |
sill be differentiated by various conbina-
liona Of the letters Of the alphabet Of such
! eise NJ TO be easily distinguishable by
aedonauts passing over them. ~
Misalso proposed to erect in the larger
,ities powerful electric sesrohlights to
actas "iighthouses' to aerial navigat6rs.
Everybody who has visited Paris will
be pieasei to read that two OF those
pestilential nuisanoes who offer their
services as guides have been arrested.
These two, against whom many oom-
pIaints have been laid, gave the names,
false, Of Ludwig Peters Of Mel
bourne, Australia. and Edward Browsley
~ San Francisco. Their practice has
been to offer to show the sights of the
own TO strangers, and during their
they generally succeed in
setting their victims TO entrust them with
heir handbags. purses. &c. Then they
,1Anh exhibition Of pictures that is Ger
ain to have at least a success OF curl
,sity has just opened in Paris. The
,ainter's name Is given as Francois
apuPsy.F and his forty sketches In oil
ieai with Venice and Nuremberg: but
his assumed name covers the identity of
frederic Humbert. the husband of the
notorious Nine Humbert, who raised
millions Of francs by her stories of an
Inheritance that was to come to her from
loifie mythical Americans named Cray-