The Evening Missourian., 1920-03-29
PRESIDENTS
PAY IS insufficient
NJ. Deschanel Gets 100000
Francs a Month to Meet
All Expenses.
MONEY VALUE LOW
New Executive Is Forced
by Traditions to Give
Charity Large Sums.
BY United Press

! by United Press
PARIS, March (by maiD There
is every reason to believe that the
private fortune of Madame Deschanel.
which is reported to be very large, Is
going to suffer some terrific assaults
during the seven years term Of her
husband as president of France.
France pays her chief magistrate
as salary 100000 francs a year. Then
he has an additional allowance Of
100000 francs a year for his household
expenses and another 100000 francs
for entertainments.
I Besides these allowances, the only
other things furnished him are his
residence and furniture in the Elysee
palace which are kept up by the
Ministry of Fine Arts-even down to
furniture repairs
Former Presidents Poor.
Before the present upheaval of f.
nancial condition the above allowances
made it at least possible to get way
with the job with honor and dignity,
! il necessarily without profit. That
French presidents have not been able
to save much out of these allowances
is demonstrated by the fact that for
mer President Loubet can be daily
seen taking a street car instead Of rid
ing in his own automobile, while for
mer President Fallieres who although
blessed with thrifty habits and a large
private fortune is known to have come
out considerably poorer. His charity
donations during his tern as president
ran from 5000 to 1000 francs a month.
Former President Poincare has re-
turned to his professions of senator
and attorney in order to replete the
inroads made in his private fortune
during his term as president.
The total allowances to the French
president are 100000 francs a year
or 100000 francs a month. Out Of
this he must pay every cent of his
domestic expenses including the large
retinue of servants, secretaries and
numerous other employees. He must
keep up the state automobiles and the
state stables filled with horses for
drawing the state carriages when state
visitors are his guests.
He must also pay all the expenses Of
state dinners which are numerous and
large These dinners are usually
served by some one of the leading res
tauranters of the city. Before the war
they cost about 40 francs a plate. Now
40 francs won't buy an ordinary lunch
con in one of the better-class of cafes
and restaurants of Paris.
The cost of uniforms and liveries for
the servants is also big item. Before
the war the uniform Tor One of the out
riders on the presidential coach cost
315 francs for the coat, the waistcoat
cost 22O francs and the yellow leather
breeches 126 francs. The cost Of these
now has unquestionably tripled.
Must Follow Traditions.
The presidents charity allowances
and contributions also make up one of
his heaviest items. Deschanel inau-
guarted his term of office by giving
10000 francs to the poor of Paris. Next
day he visited the military hospitals
and left 500 francs for the wounded.
The demands made on the French
president for charity are enormous
and owing to the traditions establish
ed when France was a monarchy and
the head of the state was most gen.
erous. he is obliged to respond lib
orally.
If. as has been announced. Mon
sieur and Madame Deschanel plan to
re-establish the famous dinners, re-
ceptions and social events for which
the Elysee palace was formerly noted,
it is expected that the state allow
ances will hardly be more than a
meagre half of their expenses.
Columbia Used a Lake