Imperial Valley press., 1915-03-23
DRESSM AK ERS DECLARE
WAR ON THE GERMANS
(Bv Henry Wood)


Omitted Fress STAFF Correspondent
Paris, Feb. 20 (By mail to New
Nork)-Rue de la PaiX (the Street OF
Peace) has just declared war. 1t is
against the Germans.
This street. the creative center OF
the worlds fashions, the home of the
worlds most famous dressmakers, the
throne from which the latest dictates
of startorial elegance are meted out TO
wOmankind at large, has just dlscov-
cred, like most OF the Allies at the
beginning of the war, that It's very
existence was being threatened by the
Germans.
Since the beginning Of the war a
minute investigation has been con-
Quoted in Paris to ascertain every bus
mess house and every line of indus
try in which Germans are interested.
The most amazing result to date has
been the discovery of the extent to
which during the past few years Ger
mans have come into control of Paris
most famous millinery houses.
Although Paris still boasted of tell
ing the rest of the world what to
wear, it was really Germans and not
French who were doing the talking.
Most of the Partisan millinery houses
retained the French name under which
they had become world-famous, al
though it was German capital and
brains that were running them. Only
a few were known under the German
name of their owners.
The sentiment aroused in all France
against this German invasion of the
field of Partisan fashion came to a
climax with the Madame Bechoff
scandal. Her house of Becholl-David
is in the Place Vendome, which opens
out in the center of the Rue de- la
Pax. Having created for her shop
a position almost without equal
amongst the most exclusive and most
elegant of the Partisan milliners she
found it unnecessary to mask under a
French name.
In addition, although German of
the Germans, she had given repeated
proofs Of her loyalty to France. With
the outbreak of the war her elegant
establishment was one of the very
first to be turned into a hospital for
the French wounded.
All of this was forgotten and all
Of her position crumpled like d house
Of cards. however, with the arrest of
France DesclauX, aymaster-treaSureI
Of the entire French army and later
with her own arrest. DesclauX, 1t is
alleged, helped himself to the more
appetizing viands of the food supplies
of thc French army and sent them to
Madame Bechoff in order that her
lardeI might be well stocked against
any possible food famine at Paris.
This was the last straw which
brought about definite action by the
Syndicate Of Partisan Dressmakers--
probably the wealthiest and most elc-
giant syndicate in the world. All Ger
mans who in the past have succeeded
I'm getting into the organization are
10 be expelled at once, nor is 1T 90
ing to be possible in the future fol
any German to secure the little trade
mark Of the syndicate which alone
cau guarantee all that the word "Pa-
lisan" means in matters of dress.
To the United Press correspondent
M. Ane- Montaille, president of thc
syndicate, has Just detailed some Of
the havoc that is asserted to have
been wrought in the dressmaking fielc
IN Paris by the German invasion.
while the proprietors of thes'
houses in Paris have as a rule II
the past been naturalized French cit
izcns, they have never felt that dutA
toward France which we native bori
citizens naturally feel. They havt
never hesitated to take advantage o.
any privileges accorded TO them b,
she fact thai they were German orr
gin TO the detTiment. not only OF tn
Partisan houses owned by French pro
prietors, but even to the detriment o
our national French industries.
"One such house. for example, mad
It q practice 70 copy all new silk de