The Detroit times., 1916-07-07
ETR OFT TIM e 8
G0uged By Contractors at the
Beginning French NoW Manage
The War on Business Principles
Ru HERBERT COREY

Copyright. 1910, by Herset corey
PARIS, July This Is a stor!
OF 20 seeus and 80 tons, OF hobnails
When a story has q moral !
seems q good plan 10 get the mora
over early. This particular mora
is that the French are conducun,
the war nowadays on as business
like q plan as any democracy coult
hope for. They are wasting moth
ing that can be saved ana they art
spending their money wisely. II
was not so at the beginning. In
those days confusion reigned
Things happened that would NJ nice
~ IN summer opera In which the
tenor wears white pants. This is
where the story OF the 10 zebus be
gins.
Your ship is requisitioned," was
the ordered received by the skipper
OF a steamer at Marseilles. Hurry
TO the northern coast OF Africa"
What shall I DO when get
there?" asked the skipper.
II the gentleman who gave the
order had replied In the full spirit
Of the expedition re would have ad.
vised the skipper 10 close his eyes.
turn his ship around three times.
and see what ne could catchH In
stead he replied In that mystic
formula beloved Of bureRucrats;
Sealed orders
Bn, on the north coast OF Africa
the skipper found no one who had
ever heard ot him or ever wanted
~ hear OF him. Those ne met lifted
hand against him. palm outward
and babe him cease from troubling
them about his iooty little steamer
while the motheTland was al war.
So that after a long period OF franuc
cabling the skipper was finally told
10 so 70 Madagascar. He went to
MADAGASCAR. II Is no SLOUGH or a
trip from the north coast OF Africa,
IN, no matter. In 80 days ne
reached Madagascar and breezed
into some ones Office. all merry and
bright.
who wants me-" he asked.
No one wanted him. No one had
ever heard OF him He hung around
Madagascar for month or so, call
ing each morning al the Office OF
the French governor and making
himself unpleasant all day long un'
tn the governor resolved upon
harsh measures.
Il have a load Of zebus for you"
said he. Take them TO the 200 at
Nar'eilles."
Forty DAYS later the captain ap'
peared AZ Marseilles with 40 zebus
Marseires refused 20 receive them
He vas not even allowed to unload
them. Unn 5y and by he brought
the case OF The 40 zebus before the
;. p. G.. A. and managed 10 extor'
en- order 10 90 somewhere else
through that society's influence Or
dark night he warped up 20 thf
pier and surrepti,iously turned q
zebus loose OF Marseilles and es
capped under cover Of the fog, al
lights out. Marseilles rounded ~
the zetus and ultimately ate them
zebuP being highly edible animals
But the captain has never been for
given.
A score OF other similar storie:
might be told 10 illustrate the diff
Guilty which a country which had al
ways hoped for peace found In ad
iusting herself 10 an unexpected
war. As was the case IN England
many OF the important bureaus In
France were presided over by dear
old gentlemen. This is not a fins
al age. The big things in this wal
have been thought out by elderly
men. practically without exception
But when an old man permits hi,
hair 70 grow fast 10 his brain he be
comes a mere impeachment 10 pro
gress. Many OF these old men were
got rid OF before the wheels began
70 move really fast here.
When Germany is mentioned, one
instinctively thinks OF efficiency
When Great Britain comes 20 mins
one paints a mental picture OF eT
asperating slovness. but which Is
nevertheless thorough. The average
American probably thinks Of France
as slipshod in method. II is true
that France has been forced TO I'm.