The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-08-10
WHEN MONEY
WAS A BURDEN
Nexs to Impossible TO Spend Any
thing in Paris Unless One
rad the co-ree.
Change.
BRIEF FINANCIAL PANIC
Twenty Dollar Bills Might just a.
Well Be Checks for
Million at the
Cafes.
BRIEF FINANCIAL PANIC

by VIM. Phillip Simms. Unite
Press Staff Correspondent
York Mark Twain with his $40
900 bank note which he found impos
sible to spend, had nothing on me.
came near starving in the city o
Paris. the city OF paramount cafe:
and restaurants, with my pockets
lined with $50 bills. or rather with
100 franc notes because nobody hat
change.
1t was Thursday, July 80. the day
the money panic struck Paris. The
officials didn't call 1t a panic and
probably would have expelled from
French territory any correspondent.
sending out the news OF it as such
But by whatever name one calls it. 1!
fell SO suddenly on the city that few
knew 1t had fallen until caught tight
ly under its stomach-flattenins
weight. Quite serenely / left the
Office at o'clock after a day OF war
news, rumors Of French mobilization
and the arrest of an editor who
printed too much news. took seat
on the terrace fronting the cafe
Cardinal, on the Grand boulevard. It
is one OF the biggest in the city.
had an appetizer and a cigar and
asked to have one OF my 100 franc
notes changed. The restaurant was
changing nothing higher than louis
($4) pieces. barely had the change,
but made the payment. scraping my
pockets of the last sou.
Then went to lie Petit Richie. a
fair sized restaurant in the Rue LIE
Peletier. Being rather hungry / or
dered fairly imposing meal The
waiter respectfully inquired: HAS
monsieur the money to pay for his or
der? beg Monsieur's pardon, but
has he seen this2" and he pointed out
a line In red ink at the top of the bill
of fare. 1t read: Customers not pro-
vided with the correct change will
not be served There was nothing to
it. 1 had to get up and go. / did not
have the change.
I found the same thing at the next
restaurant went to; Hunbin's. in
the Rue Druout; and at GaucIair's IN
the Rue De Richelieu: and at the
third and fourth and NTH eating
houes.
All the time my hunger was grow
ing. Then ! tried more presumptous
restaurant; cafe Richie. cafe Wen
nois, the cafe American. the cafe De
where was met by the same thing,
a conspicuous sign reading larger
sums than 81 (twenty france not
changed here; or customers not pro-
vided with change will not be served
1t was a desperate situation. Nor
was 1t solved until / met fellow cor
respondent and the two of us went to
the cafe De Paris and held . $40 din
ner between US. There we got In
change for a 100 franc note. a din.
ner and 50 franc note.
The next day at the bank was
quietly, almost secretly, given a fifty
franc note and ten silver f1ve-franc
pieces in exchange for 100 franc
bill. Though the silver almost pulled
my pants off, was never 30 proud in
my life.
Later learned that housewives
either had to buy on credit o. 90
without market produce, small mer-
chants being caught without q parti-
lie of change. Department stores did
! tremendous business In petty ar
ticles, purchasers invariably tender |
ng paper money in order to get the |
change. The unprecedented situation !
vas largely due to the thrifty French |
Hanging their paper into gold and sill |
,er and sailing 1t away against war
ines. The change shortage lasted /
Until the Bank OF France put out Ave /
ind twenty franc notes. Then came .
! rush to obtain the divisional money.
lines, eight and ten deep, squares |
ong, waited all day at the change |
windows. Women by the thousands !
we're there. Many sat on camp stools
md hundreds brought their lunch |
long
France Not Excited.
BY Warrington Dawson, United /
Press STAFF Correspondent
PARIS, Aug. 1.-(By mail to New
was never So calm, so
ure of herself as at present. The
loary idea that the French are a high
y excitable, easily riled people must
dve way to the new one OF a race
which faces national danger with
DOL, calm courage. In all Europe
rom the start Of the war menace I'M
il today, France has been the nation
most serene. Street demonstrations
AVE been practically nil. Loud talk
# q bombastic sort is totally unheard. /,
rhe soldiers one sees are gay; the |,
men one meets in the streets are STEP i
ing along buoyantly; the crowds are !
suhlv fnferestary n oxtr~ al !