South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-07-02
FRENCH SOLDIER GETS
ONE CENT A DAY As PAY
Even at That It's Said They All
Manage to Lay Away
a Nest Egg.

PARIS. July 1.-The Frenchman's
pocketbook these days is an interest
ing study Even a very wealthy man
here cannot have much pocket
money. for the moratorium holds
good and prevents dividends.
The dividends may be in the bank
all right, but the bank Will refuse
him all except a small percentage.
Nor can any shares of stock or bonds
be sold nor any sums be raised upon
them legally.
While many citizens are rejoicing
because they cannot be sued. a very
large number are terribly crippled for
lack of the actual means of existence.
Most OF the older doctors and law
yers who are beyond the military age
and all business men dealing in
articles of luxury are suffering great
Is.
But perhaps one Of the classes to
be most pitied is the landlord. for so
small a minority of French citizens
are now paying any rent at all! For
some mysterious reason French land
lords always manage to get them
selves particularly hated and at pres
ent they are entirely unable TO collect
their rent.
Almost at the beginning of the war
a law was passed enabling most citi-
~
unmoiested. The heads OF families
at the front were freed from all obi
cations at once. as We're all those who
could prove that by the fact OF the
war their means of livelihood had
come 20 an end.
The question OF settling up with the
landlords will. of course. be arranged
10y the government after the war, and
il is probable that the government it
self will make good the landlords
losses during this period. But the
question viii be a difficult one. Most
tenants owe now nearly four quarters
rent.
Since the passing of this stringent
! bill the government has found il ad-
viSahle 20 make certain amendments
which force the tenants TO pay a GER
tain percentage TO their landlords for
/ what is known as les charges which
/ in some houses IS a fee paid apart
/ from the rent by the tenants, and in
others is included in the rent. This
I fee comprises extra charges for CEN
] trail heating. elevator telephone
vacuum cleaning. etc. which are the
| agreeable adjuncts TO all the newer
residential buildings in Paris today.
/ But even these charges may not at
/ present exceed FIVE per cent OF the
! total rent.
| In the shops no credit is given any
/ Whtre Tor goods OF any KIND, ana all
\ old bills must be held in Allowance.
/ The only people who are not exoner-
I ated from paying their debts and
/ their rent are those who hold some
\ position under the state. For the
/ state is about the only employer in
/ France at the present moment who
has not stopped paying wages
/ French privates receive but one
/ cent per day. and even the pay Of the
| highest grade Of French Sub-otfiCers
\ rarely reaches To a bare 20 cents a
day. The wives at home all get paid
. aliNe-a uniform allowance of %
cents day and 10 cents for every
I child under l6.
But the French are an amazingly
thrifty people. and the legendary
| wooden stocking still abounds among
them even III il is filled only at the
/ toe, There is probably not a family
/ In France that has not q nest egg
stored away in some corner.