The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-21
CHRISTMAS FINDS
PARIS |NSAD MOOD
Thousands Out Of Work, and
Poor People Arc
Suffering.
MANY FIRMS ARE FAILING
Bar OF United States Against
Feathers of Birds Adds
to Misery.
NY GEORGES puEpEsNE.

Paris, December 2o.-Christmas IS
hero, but IT does not md US very uorry.
Tho Christmas trade has been very bad
and there Ii much unemployment and
suffering among the working classes,
Thousands OF whom havo been very
hard hit by the sudden stop in tho OK
port OF birds feather. to the United
Stated. This has thrown moro than
10000 young girls out OF employment
Tho strike OF provincial women against
the extravaganza OF modern Partisan
dress. instigated by tho priests, has
added TO tho misery. Five large firms
Of modistes In Rue do In Paix and Place
dc Ncndoine have already failed, and
number OF others will he unable 10
pay their New Years bills
Apparently Parts Is as gay as eyor.
the boulevards arc crowded and the
cafes are doing a good business, but
the careful observer will notice that
the number OF idle girls on the streets
IN greater than over.
Tho theatres arc apparently we'll
hllod but half empty houses arc only
avoided by distributing an enormous
number OF free tickets one or two
more theatrical failures arc looked for
on the movies" arc doing well. and
their number Is increasing daily. Lit
tie by little they arc invading even our
most erstocratic districts. and there
Is now AT least ono cinema In tho
Chemps Elysees district, whore you are
not admitted unless you wear evening
dress Its foyer is as luxurious and
rerned rs that OF any theatre In Paris.
Laughing mt Rodin.
Tho enemies OF Rodln and he has n
great many. arc still Laughing at his
recent denunciation OF work OF his
own. which he failed to recognize as a
miserable nonstrosity, which had Moth
ing TO do with art. My American read
ers have undoubtedly heard this story
OF how the great sculptor discovered "A
headless statute LA Tcrrc" bearing his
signature At an art dealers in Rue
LATTE. and how he first declared that
no artist ever made II. but afterwards
when 1t was proved that well-known
professor in Hamburg had bought IL
from himself. finally had to acknowl-
edge it,
You VIII understand this better when
tell you that IL IL an open secret a
tho studio world in Paris that Augusts
Rodin did not make half tho works
ascribcd to him and on which his sig
nature appears Some OF his most IA.
nous works arc said TO have been
created by a certain ". Desbieux. whom
artists here consider a far greater
sculptor than Rodin. but who cares alb
solutely nothing for fame.
VI. Dcsbieux, one OF the most original
OF Partisan artists and one of the most
difficult men to approach Is a firm
believer IN art for arts sake. He has
carved some of the most wonderful
sculptures in the world. but consider
ing the sale OF a work of art to the
ordinary ignorant public n desecration.
lie still has most of them In his
studio where he receives only a small
number of Intimate friends He Is far
from being wealthy. and as he has
to exist he has from time to time
turned over certain OF his works to
Rodin. I know that it Is serious
charge that | am making here. and
am fully prepared not 20 be believed,
but there arc scores OF artists here
who Will bear me out as would I'M
doubtedly NJ. Desbieux himself, If