Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-18
CLEMENCEAU DEPLORES
FRENCH LIQUOR TRAFFIC
Former Premier RidicuIes Ex-
isting Remedies-Lepine's
Counterpart Found.
Foreign Correspondence OF The star.

Foreign Correspondence OF The star.
PARIS, January 10. 1914
Former Premier Clemenceau has written
the preface TO n pamphlet devoted to a
general economic study OF alcohol. which
has just been laid before the Paris Acad-
envy of Medicine.
NJ. Clemenceau like the author OF the
pamphlet. finds IL deplorable that the
.'omnipotent authority OF the state
should seem to be powerless against the
most formidable enemy OF social peace. OF
general welfare. and OF the rise OF the
humber classes to a higher life.
He ridcules existing remedies, which
consist in taking drunken men to the
police Office or placarding the inside of
wine shops with prohibitions OF drunk
enness, while the laws of France relating
to the manufacture and sale of the most
deleterious kinds of spirit contribute to
tester this particular vice.
To-day" NJ. Clemenceau continues. ''it
is beginning to be understood that the
right to poison People cannot properly be
regarded as one of the achievements OF
the French revolution. Universal suf-
frage would really put itself out of court
IL 1t had only succeeded in emancipating
itself from the yoke of a single tyrant
in order to fall under the sway OF a
league Of private interests which are i'm
open warfare with the public interest All
well intentioned men, without distinction
OF party, ought to join In common ef-
fort for the salvation of our country.
which is menaced from so many direc-
lions at once.
New king" Disillusionized.
The amusing adventures of jacques Le-
baudy, who for a short time was known
as the Emperor of the Sahara" have
been recalled by the curious experiences
of viscount Alfred German de Breuil
whose ambition was to become .>ing Of
Arabia and Syria
The viscount met a German in a Bor-
deaux cafe. who. on learning that the
Frenchman had made several excursions
to Arabia, suggested that he should un-
dertake another trip with the object OF
setting up an independent state and Law
ing himself proclaimed king. Once APP
pointed sovereign. he was to return 90
France. SO the story goes. and sell his
kingdom to Germany. The German agree
to pay the viscount $ieoco IL he succeed
ed and to show his earnestness CT rur-
pose advanced $1,000 for expenses.
The viscount started for Arabia and
Syria. fixing his headquarters at FL
Afoum. In country where the natives
acknowledged no mans rule. But con-
ference of twelve independent tribes
finally decided to crown the viscount rs
Alfred the First. King of the Independent
States Of Arabia and Syria. He thel
went to Cairo. where the documents es-
tablishing his authority where placed In
legal form.
Disappointment and establishment
were his, however. on returning to
Paris, for here. instead of receiving the
balance of the $4,000 that was prom
Used to him. he learned that his German
friend was In prison. The viscount in
stituted a suit for swindling. but the
court decided that the new crowned king
had no case and the matter was thrown
out of court. The viscount has not yet
announced whether he will return to his
new country.
Lepine's Counterpart Found.
H. E. Stockwell of Los Angeles was
surprised on leaving the train in Paris
a few weeks ago to find himself respect
fully saluted by the railroad employees
and many of his fellow-passengers.
He had always regarded the French as
a very polite people. but he found that
the policemen were the most courteous
Of them all. Whenever he passed one of
these guardians of the peace the man
drew himself up and delivered an i'm
pressive military salute.
This gratifying respect continued for a
whole month, when, having occasion to
ask the way, Mr.. Stockwell. applied him.
self to a policeman. To his astonishment
he was addressed as Monsieur lie Pre-
feet" A few words of explanation solved
the mystery; Mr.. Stockwel is the living
counterpart of that Partisan idol NJ.
Lepine, project of police