The New York herald., 1922-10-29

Special Gable to THE NEW YoRK HEaMn
copUi1ht, 1929. by THE New YORK HEaALA
New York Herald Bureau.
Paris, Oct 25.
No capital In the world spends SO
much money on its stomach as Paris.
Famous for centuries as the center for
gournets and gourmands. the French
capital now is experiencing d new cpl
curean movement manifested by a tre-
mendous growth in the habit OF dining
out.
The restaurants and hotel dining
rooms of the better class cannot cops
with the demands not only from tour
lists but permanent residents, especially
those with costly apartments, who are
finding that it is cheaper to let the
maitre dhotel take all the risk with
the foodstuffs than to keep up family
life on the old scale.
THE NEW YORK HERALD correspondent
this week investigated the situation and
found from official statistics in the pos
session of the head OF the restaurant
owners syndicate that the public Is now
spending approximately SOC, 600, 600
francs yearly in about 90 Of the lead
ing restaurants and that some OF tha
large establishments, like PrJnier's
Maxim's. the Cafe de la Paix, Paillards
and the Cafe de Paris, are reporting an
nuai incomes Of between 100000 and
100000 francs. And these figures do
not include the millions spent in after
II eater suppers and wines In Montmartre
resorts nor the smaller expensive cafes
such as Voisins Tour d'Argent and the
chic restaurants I'm the Bois, which viii
probably bring the total for Paris well
over the 100000 franc mark.
Change Considered Serious
In some quarters this new change In
the French capitals family life Is being
considered almost as serious as the de-
creasing birth rate, as the dining out
habit Is dra wing devotees from all ex-
cept the poorer classes. Naturally res.
tdurant owners are not protesting
against this increased clientele. but the
social workers-declare that some remedy
must be found or the nation will lose its
traditional love for home comforts such
as existed before the living costs reached
levels where individual householders no
longer could compete with establishments
which buy their food stuffs In wholesale
quantities.
Yes, ii Is a fact The public finds
Il cheaper TO dine outside the hone
owing TO the long line OF middlemen
through which the food must pass be-
fore It reaches the home Kitchens" THE
NEW YORK HERALD correspondents in
formant declared. The effect has been
the opening of more than a score Of
high class restaurants during the last
two years, while as many more jumped
into the de luxe class after n precarious
struggle as neighborhood chop houses"
In the central district the restaurant
managers are beginning to insist that
tables be reserved at least a day in ad-
vance, and II a dinner party arrives
only Hit-"n minutes late IL Is possible
that they win fini that their table has
been reass;s sned TO some one else.
Higher Income, Higher Tax.
With such increased prestige there IL
not single restaurant In the de luxe
class which cannot boast OF a 2.000.000
franc turnover IN single year. al
though these boasts are tinctured in
some cases with the complaint that the
higher taxes are eating up all the profits
and that che State is the only one
benehtlns from the unusual amount OF
business.
AS a matter OF fact the Government
does reap unexpected millions from the
restaurants, as not only is 10 per cent.
levied on receipts before the owners
are allowed 10 start paying their en-
ployees or for their rent or foodstuffs.
but in cases where meals are accom-.
panied by dancing an additional Is per
cent is demanded during the hours OF
dancing.
One popular eating place near the
Palais Royal has presented figures TO
the Finance Ministry showing that the
taxes compelled them to operate at a
considerable loss during June. July and
August despite the large number OF
American tourists at that time In the
capital.
The place most heavily taxed in the
Boulevards quarter probably Is the Cafe
de la Paix on the Avenue dc ropera,
which before the war was assessed only
5000 francs a year. To-day It must pay
nearly 100000 francs a year TO the
Government while Maxim's. where danc-
ing ia in order until long after midnight,
last year paid almost $4,000 francs as
its contributlo1 to the States control
of this new tendency Of satisfying appe-
tltes in establishments which ten years
ago were frequented only by tha
wealthior classes