Evening star., 1918-01-27

military police In Paris) are q num-
Der OF United States secret service men
and well known private detectives IN
communication with French and British
specialists. They must not be quoted.
It is sufficient to learn from them what
is not.
Here is the peculiar situation:
/. There are no bunco professionals op.
Grating in Paris, neither American.
English, colonial or French. None Of
the known personalities cheers the
sight Of the sleuths. The passport syss
tenn combs them out completely. Only
soldiers. war workers and well investi-
gated business men have been permit
ted to land In France. Yet -.
=; There are bunco victims galore.
creates the operator. And, amid SO
many amateurs, tho difficulty is in-.
creased by the silence Of the victims.
Sammys are willing to tell their losses
on the quiet. but are scared to make
complaint. Alarmed by penalties-'if
we do this, that or the other in Paris.
1t means courts-martial"-the as
simulate any little detail of escapade to
the very worst. AS for the lieutenants,7
they must be like Caesars wffe-not
a breath. ~.
And 1t all comes from temptation to-.
see something which is not, to see
something which don't e1ist-the
They won't believe that 1t went out
like candle on mobilization night Of
August 2. 1914. They believe 1t to be
hidden.
Bunks claim they can md It. can ds-
liver 1t. 81
This is their stronghold-and It in
astonishing what sensible and ordi-
narily cautious Sammys. now and then,
daily with the proposition.
At the Cafe du Regence, where they
play chess. three intellectual-lookinE
ones. really, were in conference with a
Canadian soldier. Up came a civilian
for whom they seemed waiting, and
waited to our table: -
the time Can't go to the club till
aIter dark. at pm. elegant
women gambling =. sights of Paris
A few days later. at the Cardinal.
two boys of the aviation were whisper
Ing about a bank. 49,
will give US the check
-. dead easy. just indorse
Identification medal :"
Somebody had been putting up these
1nnocents to bunco game which
originally surprised the banks. and
now is practically finished. 1 took the
liberty to speak up: Don't have any
thing to do with anybody's check. It's
crazy: They were frightened, and got
away promptly. -"c
The idea, which must have occurred
70 several, had its basis in the identf>
ries. and the confidence of Paris bank
managers that no American soldier
would De foolish enough to pass q bad
check on the strength of it-that is to
say, give the bank an unerring clue -
complain to his superiors.
The bunk consisted in its not being
unerring. =
1t included the purloining or manuA
facture of Identification medals, AftSf
that, the labor was to hnd thouKht-
less lad to use one. Doubtless they
persuaded him the check was good. BIZ
circumstances required a third party .
cash it. =
Are there many lads SO foolish?
Not many.
My rocky of the Grand Cafe sits on
the terrace
The terrace is the sidewalk, undss
the cafes awning. lined three deem
with hundreds of chairs and littY6
tables. A mighty human river-the
throng OF the boulevard-continualiy
nows there. My rocky sips his coffeS.
watching. meditating. -
That is Paris-out there" he says.
Il Sit right here. It comes past ma.
to hunt them" -
How7" ask. <
Il watch faces" he says. IT Ca
read EN-"
Mysterious Paris. power Of Balxac,
sleeping beauty. they will not believe
that you are sleeping!
Here is my place." says the rocky.
And: remember. he has money. Here
know it-most all Of US. When we're
chilly, we 30 in and have an egg. Aw,
eggs are healthy!" ~
8TE2IiHG HEIi0 -