The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-17
THE AVIATION FEVER
Are POpularizing Aviation by Holding Meets in Different T0wns-Thc Housing Problem Growing.
 Bonapartism Reviying?
By GEORGE DUFREsNE

| expenses were cheapest Now, alas. this | is all changed and the mere cost of living | has increased to such an extent that even | quite well to do people find it next to inn possible to make both ends meet Apart from the general increase in rent, although any number of houses are being
 built every year, the price of many arti- cles is rising rapidly. Workmen strike periodically for more wages, but they are, | if anything, worse off than they were a decade ago. Things. indeed, have come to such a pass that there is universal grumbling.
 Thanks to the initiative of the Journal. national league for the defence of ths l trade in food and of the producers is in process of formation and a number of syndicates interested in the question have already joined. M. Jules Prevet, who is the chairman of the union of the syndi- cate concerned in the wholesale supply, says that they hoped when the dues on wines were abolished that the Paris mu- nicipal council would follow this up by abolishing the octrioi.n This, unfortunate | ly, it has not done and the consequence is that a bad system is maintained, and that perishabe goods are brought up m unsuitable cars. the journeys being more | over so slow that districts which are at some little distance from the capital can not attempt to forward anything. As for the Paris slaughter houses, they only dispense meat which has deteriorat- ed. because their installation is old fash ioned and cattle only reach them after long journeys made under conditions | which are really barbarous. If, however, | the "octroi' were suppressed and goods were forwarded in proper cars and in | fairly fast and punctual trains. all the centers of production would soon be send l-ing the whole of their food supply to the capital, and foreign countries would also be the gathers as the people would get
 what they require in Paris instead of ap- plyinelte more remote regions.
 "This adds NJ. Prevet, would give a great impulse to trade and the population would also gain. as prices which are now
 at an exaggerated height owing to all the obstacles would return to their normal | figures"
 Another recognized authority is NJ. Hu- bert, who is the president of the National Federation of Restaurant Hotel and Wine i Shop Keepers, which includes upwards Of 2l1 isyndicates. Like NJ Preyet. he is dead against the ''octroi'' system and the slow trains. and he speaks with horror of the tsufferins to which cattle are Subjected in ttleiw journeys. Hunger, fever sand wounds sheuid no longer foyerwhelm the l poor aninlalEs he writes. ..Ss Representatives. of other trades in food l speak in the same strain. and one, M. Guy. l who is chairman of the Paris Exporters, | Syndicate, says that the population cannot 1 desire a greater improvement than the abolition of the "octroi'' as '.tradesmen, manufacturers and capitalists all undergo a really intoierable inquisition in their business transaetions."
 The programme of the new league con- prises the appointment of a commission to examine the question of the suppression of "octrois' in Paris and the great provin- cia towns. the nomination of another commission to insure some improvement in the cars which convey perishable goods and cattle to Paris, as well as more rapid ity on the road. and lastly, the appoint l ment of a third commission which shall devote it's attention to the amelioration of the slaughter house and the modification of the sanitary regulations. This agita- ton. supported as it is by the leading men | in the supply trade, is bound to be attend l ed with excellent results.
 The whole population of France may he | said to be seized with the aviation feger l at the present moment. The idea upper
 
 | France to maintain her title as mistress | of the air" at any cost. To enable her | to do this more aeroplanes are necessary. l This will mean money, and plenty of it., and therefore it is case of appealing to the nation.
 l Several newspapers have risen to the oc- casion and have come forward with sub scriptons of s10.0c0 each. The promoters | of this movement realize that the pest
 method of popularizins aviation is 10 or- gapiZC fctes in various towns. Nancy is the first town to respond 10 the invitation and the mayor has just intimated that a nying meeting will be held there on Easter sunday, when%4 is hoped that all the leah- ing aviators will be present For the fol- lowing day fete will be organized, the proceeds to be handed over to the war minister, who will devote the money to procuring an aerial fleet for the frontier The example of Nancy will be followed m other towns, Patriotic subscriptions are now being opened at Cherbourg. Pan, '1oh, Rheims. Nice. Calais. Dunkirk, Or
 leans, Lorient and other towns. The gu.- eestion Tor supplying the army with aero
 pianes IS being taken up with enthusiasn
 everywhere.
 The housing problem is dominating all
 others at the present time. There exists
 in Paris Sc.o0o families of six persons. ,o0o of 10. and 1so0D of b. or the former ,oq7 or the second li2, and of the last 23 live fl, one room. The average mortality from consumption for the whole of France is
 1.79 per lo00, but in certain parts Of inc
 Saint Me>ri quarter of Paris it is 9.st
 while the general mortality is 42 per 1000
 From 1906 to 1911 l4l0 families, making a.
 total of 6s20 children, had a death roll of 3429-nearly half.
 There are numerous cases of families
 Ig,-f..
 is only lighted when the door Is left opan
 A representative of the Matin has made a
 tour of the overcrowded areas Of the city.
 II is :. sordd and repulsive tale he tells
 People are sleeping in cellars. Tn some of
 the rooms there are no panes in the win
 dows, the openings being stuffed with
 rags For 4 single room sso a year is charged in some districts.
 Public opinion is shocked by the revela-
 tions made daily. It is clear that some thing will have to he dose and done quickly.
 Some radicals here, always on the aui vive for the safety of the republic" am nounce that Bonapartism is slowly work ing up it's Influence in the country. The movement began soon after the marriage of Prince Victor Napoleon to the Princess Clementine Of Belgium. This match had always been opposed on political grounds by her father, who lived more in France than in his own kingdom. and it was con cluded not long after bis death.
 The present King of the Belgians con idered that his counsinship to the prin- cess repdered her marriage with a pre- 'ender to the French throne possible. how HyeF inadrisabe it might have been. SO lcng ss she was the daughter of the King rf the BeFldns. That the Empress En- inc match for nolificaI u