The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-17
Secrecy the Essential in
Charming Hoa d
Wealth of Peasants
Out of Its Many Hid.
ing Places
n, BLANCHE McMANus.

his neighbors from knowing how
much money he has got. He boards
gold. for II is his instinct, not for
display nor to spend, but for the
Measure Of knowing hat he has
money: and then he spends his life
trying To avoid the undcsircd reputa-
ton Of passing for a rich man. in
his community.
II is this curious psychological bias.
more especially of its country people,
that the French Government has been
obliged TO take into account when IL
sent out its recen appeal to the
people of France to deposit their in
diyidual boards of gold in the Bank
Of France in exchange for bank notes
and in the interest OF National De-
fence" The French are ashamed not
OF being known to give too little but
Of giving too much.
So It is tina the all powerful Banquc
de France, chosen as the national
Governments sole agent, as it is the
only French bank allowed to issue
hank notes. has gone about its mis-
sion of harvesting the vast gold crop
Of France, which Is being so success
fully cleaned throughout the country
BY a diplomacy and caution worthy
TO be ranked among the most sue
cessful generalships of the war.
To begin with, to induce the French
u present their cherished individual
reserves of gold TO help the nation
finish up the war absolutely different
methods must he used in city and
MI. ,arta pttt,n1a 90 tha
U,y dweller and the countryman are
totally dissimilar.
The first moving OF Frances gold
harvest began the first of July. when
N. Ribot. Minister of Finance. made
an appeal TO the people for their saw
ings in gold. only a suggestion on
his part in the purse of a debate
In the Chamber of Deputies. The sub
isct was then mentioned in a quite
casual way in the columns of the
dali; newspapers. nothing insistent,
only a few articles which intimated
c~ourteously and blandly that the peo-
pie would he doing the country a
Sigh, favor to let II see the olo OF
is money. Then II receiving teller's
window only was opened at the Bank
Of France in Paris.
That was all that was necessary
for Paris. The Frenchman is also
o unique patriot when there Is "A
question OF defending ia patrie.'
either with cannon or money. Gold
pieces tina had not seen circulation
since war was declared popped
up as II conjured out OF a magicians
hat. The crowds giving in their gold
waited in lines that stretched out into
the streets. Batteries of receiving
,ellers' windows had TO be opened and
the cry of the uniformed officials di-
rectlng the throngs. This way for
gold" echoed ceaselessly through the
yaulted corridors of the bank.
Branches Of the Bank OF France
began the same service for other cit
les. but such was the rush that the
savings banks, the Cd.ssc EnargNe,
,he post Offices. other banks, chambers
Of commerce and even department
stores were appointed to receive the
golden millions. This was all neces-
sary for the cities. Emulation be-
tween them grew hot to the tune or
millions. Rival municipalities pub
lshed daily reports OF their gold CEN
s.f.- .n,,A.,,,,s If tho towns
rn,,nd mn .beir friends and
ana mn In ,ha,r gold
=, 49,,
pa,,t,n .n r.su,,s WAS IN n mar
80, n,an, , tho nari-mu.
e' ~ a.a"mn racacourse
Tbis w.s,h. t,st fun they had had to
,r;a, in ora. , vo,. and thev made
40 n,,s, ~, 4, Grca uora tho Jingle
~ a,Ii un., hoard ,brnugh tho land.
cut d,ti,, nomb, rded in the war
On, ,,rwar5aa or, ,mous amounts to
a.. - -, -, Tho ba,k nut
t.N nrnaantan ,n ,,air nr.s.nt non
r,.,,.,. n,.s,,,. ,ar,rooiu, i'm cellars.
tn, roc'rnuarsd nnr,ion nf Alsace
,r,,o5 ~ al -, to- ynLJ IA the R.lfort
hr,,,r rra arrv IN the tronche
,rrroI 49,, a. nnrlats ar1 ,brouph
ann r,r,a.,ars Don, A. an nm
drc,m. - a,t1 sunniy ,o rho treas
-,
D.. ,,o e., -, ca,,.mhor after
.,rh, no, -, ,h,. ,ha pank ~
rrar.o hoI rooatraa no cum - sOO :
Ooo nnn $40, -, ann,,nous sum va,
,.,ro.. !, s.,h ., ,ha cold
n, ~. '' ,nssossns ono
,i,h,h ~, orra ,i,,,ia GA
,nn,., T., n..a naro,,a,ad ,ha, Eranco
Al he .nJ ~, ,ha All oar of WA
r.s...oa Coo, ard n haIf hiIIions nj
ran IN cord dJy,dod almost equally
be,vee, tho Dark ~ France and the