The New York herald., 1922-07-30
Outdoor Pastimes Are Now
an Important Feature Of
National Life and Nearly
EveryVillage Has Its Ath-
letic Field Where Contests
Are Regularly Held.


willing to dispense with the luxury of
private bath. it is possible to live
cheaply in large hotels Even in
Paris large, clean rooms. well fur
hished, are offered at 10 to Is francs
per day.
Communism, which worried French
political leaders just after the war. is
on it's last legs, thanks to the refusal
of Socialists generally to follow Mos
cows dictation. In the party of the
Department of the Seine. which
boasted that it could control 100000
worker voters, the subscribing MEM
bers of the party have fallen to less
than 10000.
Tipping. ever the European evil, is
still observed in France on the 10 per
cent basis. This, if followed scrupu-
lously. will call down the wrath of
, taxi drivers, but is generally accept
able Some hotels, especially in the
larger areas, have adopted the Italian
system of adding it to the hotel bill
| in order to prevent complaints from
visitors that service is unobtainable
unless literally paid for.
First class railway travel now costs
less than three cents per mile in
France, with third class-uncushioned
but clean coaches-at one cent per
mile. The Government is now con-
sidering a proposal to install berths
in third class compartments for jour-
neys Of more than one hundred miles.
The average price for meal in the
best French restaurants is 25 francs,
not including wine, although some
popular Montmartre dining rooms are
offering excellent table d'hote at 10
francs The French Office man or
woman, however, obtains four
course luncheon or dinner, with a
small bottle of wine for less than five
francs at any of 1000 small restau-
rants.
The high cost of living is seriously
affecting French education. Just be-
fore the war Paris numbered nearly
100000 students in her population;
to-day the foreign student is con-
spiculously absent because of ex-
change rates, and the total including
lycees or high schools, is now under
$4,000.
Although German music is still
barred in many theaters Wagnerian
numbers are frequent in the popular
concerts. even by military or munich
pal bands, and a Wagner night at the
Paris Opera has so far failed to pro-
duce any incidents.
High French Society with large
"S") have succeeded in getting the
Opera managements promise to en-
force strictly the pre-war dress regu-
lations on certain nights, when only
swallow tail and shiny high hat will
guarantee entry to the worlds great
est auditorium.
Only fourteen Americans changed
their nationality to French last year.
while Frenchmen abroad. or rather
French women, as the records show
that most such changes are occasioned
by international marriages, abandoned
their nationality to the number OF 900.
Six airplane companies are now
operating from the central French
aerodrome at lie Bourget. just outside
Paris. Statistics show that with the ex-
ception of the two principal Paris-Lon-
don companies the outgoing French
voyagers exceed arrivals.
With only about 80 per cent. of the
population ever exercising their vot-
ing privilege. the French Parliament
is now seriously considering a bill
making voting compulsory.
Frances future is held by many to
depend on the use she makes Of her
great colonial empire. According to
latest statistics the French empire"
now numbers nearly 150,000,00Q, with
territorial possibilities sufficient to
meet the requirements of 1000, 100000
without crowding.