Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-07-02
PARIS INDuLCEs IN ORGY
OF RECKLESS SPENDING
Former Premier Ribot Dcnounccs
Prodigality as "Kind of Collcc-
tive Madness
PRICES TAKE UNHEARD OF RISE
Does Not Check Wild Extravaganza
OF All Glasses OF Pcoplc-Fashion-
able Women Lose Sense OF Money
Values.
BY HARvAH BRANDON.

IAIl1S. July 1.-Paris is indulg ing in
;arE.orgy OF money spending such as
< II as never been witnessed in Europe
before. Former Premier Ribot de-
Isounced it in the Senate the other
oaX'as "a Kind o: collective madness"
and urged the nation to cease its
rrodigality and get back to hard work
thEthe traditional French thrift
.. The sky-rocketting OF prices has
done nothing 10 check the wild cX-
'travasance OF all classes OF people.
Expensive meals. fine clothes and
jewels and costly amusemcnts are
sought and obtained by everyone
From inquiries made in the Rue de
La, PAX. find that never have the
jewelers. sold so many OF such costly
Jewels. Diamonds. rubies and sap
phires arc especially IN demand. and
the buyers are more preoccupicd with
their size and br!lliancy than vita
their artistic setting.
Shoes Cost Thirty Dollars.
For shoes. which formerly cost
-. both men and women are paying
$50 and. with American supplies en-
naustel. 1t Is next TO Impossible to
obtain them even al that figure.
With regard to trocks women have
for several months found tnat even
backstreet drcssmakcrs are charging
made out or toilet de jutc"-just
plain sackinS-arc selling for $40 :
smart Rue dc La Paix taiior-made runs
TO $500.
Touring automobiles have reached
fabulous prices. Having Induced the
government TO bar american imported
charging anything up 20 $4,000 for
good class machine, while tho cheap
est car on the market, the standardized
c!troen. sells for Sl,jpo.
Food Prices Fabulous.
In the restaurants people arc spend
Ing moncy with equal rccklcssncss.
1rIhc Champs t:lysccs ana the Bois the
prices are simply fabulous. a dinner
seek contained the following items:
Four cocktails. So. soups, 81;
chicken. with salad, SIS: asparagus,
So; one bottle OF chateau lafiitte. 81.
and coffee. 81.
Even In tho poorest sections OF the
city tho same extravaganza is Wit
from s. to S and arc quickly bought
up. while all frnlts and vegetables
out OF season have a ready sale. As
an instance OF the freedom with which
money. the newspapers point out that
curing the Invaiidcs Fair. an ron
worker on strike paid 81 :, piece FOR
the wife himself and their childrcn
10 take a turn on the "rounSabouts.'
Dogs Wear Gold Collars.
Fashionable women have long since
los, all sense Of tho value OF money.
They may be seen In plenty on the
streets with dogs wearing gold col
lars. with diamonds flashing IN the
heels Of their shoes and with gem
studded bangles arouni their ankles
Taxicab drivers are rcapins for
4. tune.
Y Rut French economists and Dsycholo-
& ats see an end 10 this money spend
.nC madness They View ~ as an In
cvitablc reflex OF the war. reflex
v.hjch Will soon be eliminated by a
return to normal courses nov that
peace has been signed.
Meanwhile however. "a terrible
spectacle OF ruin. bankruptcy and
. suicides" according to the view Of
one ncll-known economist.