The Washington herald., 1919-01-07
PARIS CHANGED
BY PEACE PLANS
Private Telephones Laid to
London; Best Hotels for
Peace Delegates.

Paris, Jan. 6.-Preparatory to the
Peace Conference, the British gov
ernment has laid ten private telephone
lines between Paris and London, in
cluding cables under the Channel. not
touching the system owned by the
French government at any point.
All wires and cables are covered with
lead. preventing tapping.
-Four large hotels have been requi
toned for the British delegates. All
the help previously employed at these
hostelries has been dismissed except
the cooks. Only British servants are
allowed, the purpose being to eliminate
all possibility of spies.
British in Hotel Astoria.
Among the hotels requisitioned for
the British missions is the Astoria.
where the eX-kaiser is said TO have
at one time very definitely planned to
lunch on his first day in Paris. back
in 1914. Its manager, Herr Geissler. of
German origin, who has since served
time for embezzlement, was recently
expelled from France via Switzerland.
After the Marne battle. the hotel was
used as a hospital, but now il has
been renovated by the British. who
have installed a new telephone sys-
tenn with 800 sets OF apparatus. con-
nected with London direct. also with
the British embassy. consulate and
similar places.
Telephones for Americans.
The Americans also have a private
telephone system inside Paris, con-
Meeting about a dozen buildings used
HNRlnG GiVHlV hN- A g,
that Partisan operators speak only
French gives the Americans much
trouble. Legend has it that last year
an American colonel after spending
half an hour trying to get a number,
pulled the telephone loose by its
roots and threw it out Of the win
dow. whereupon he demanded Ameri-
can operators and a separate sys>
tenn Until last summer, French was
the only language authorized in tele-
phone conversations. but now Eng
lish is allowed. The number. how
ever, must be called in French.
Newcomers are able to get the sep
arate system by calling American
line, please"
Delegates Hog Best Hotels.
There is much discomfort among the
Parisians over the peace delegates
''hogging'' the best hotels. ordinary
clerks and privates luxuriating in
the "swellest' suites and wearing out
velvets and carpets, with their hob
nailed shoes or spurs. and spelling"
valuable antique furniture while mil
lionaire clients are quaTtered in
modest lodgings
1t is estimated some $500 rooms
in the best hotels are reserved for
the peace missions. as we'll as for
war charities. especially American.
The majority of the charity workers
have limited incomes, though they
get generous salaries.
Red Cross girls getting 900 francs
tlSo) monthly have been raised
from 700 francs which was found
insufficient to defray their living
expenses. The grievance of the Pa
risians seems to be that ununiform-
ed clients would spend more. thus
benefitting this capitals trade.
What remains of our beautiful
Paris for ordinary tourists and
faithful clients?" asks a writer in
L'Avenir, new daily. The allied
diplomats and the members OF
their suites profit by their voyages.
bringing their families to Paris and
lodging in hotels which have
escaped requisition. Particularly
Americans have engaged perma-
nently entire stories"