Evening star., 1924-08-23
KN|CKERS BARRED
FROM MONTE CARLO
Strict Rules of Etiquette Are
Enforced in Famous Gam
bling Establishment.

Monte Carlo lS a WONDERFUL place,
set amongst glorious scenery in the
principaiity of Monaco, and it has
rules of etiquette, peculiarly it's own.
The company that runs the finest
gambling house in Europe" has i'm
posed restrictions in the matter of
dress of patrons, and an unwary
visitor, who recently tattempted to
enter the gambling rooms In Il knick-
erbocker suitJ not only received n
good deal of chat from other Wis
itors, but was also very firmly refused
admission by the liNerted gentlemen
at the door.
On one occasion a famous actress
was not allowed to enter the casino
because the critical doorkeepers did
not consider her smartly enough
dressed, and the late Lord Salisbury
suffered the indignity of being turned
away for a similar reason.
Many eyes follow the man or
woman who visits Monte Carlo for
the first time, for the place swarms
with detectives, who are ever on the
alert for undesirabies and sharps. If
Il stranger arouSeS suspicion, he or
she might be shadowed by spies from
morning to night.
Has I.SOO Employees.
There are detectives within the
casino as well as outside its doors,
and those within the gambling rooms
watch over the gamblers and the emS>
ployes, being responsible for the
sweet movement of the daily round"
IT may surprise even those who know
Monte Carlo to be told that there are
no fewer than 1.sO0 officials and en-
ployes attached To the casino.
The granting of tn" "Viatique" is
constantly being invoked. The brok-
en- gambler who presents himself at
a small Office in the central salon of
the casino is, if found to he Il bona
fide loser, given third-claS railway
ticket to his home. whether it be in
Chicago, London or Jerusalem, and
enough money for meals and neces-
stiles on the journey.
The receiver of the .'viatique," how
ever, has to sign a receipt for the
money handed to him, surrender his
card of admission and give his word
of honor that he will not attempt to
enter the gambling rooms again until
he has paid Oft the loan.
The casino pays grants to certain
newspapers. a Partisan paper is said
to receive a large sum every year for
doing nothing more than devoting a
few lines of its space to the state of
the weather in Monaco, But if the
truth be told the money is more in
the nature of fee to keep any Monte
Carlo scandal from the public.
school for Croupiers.
The "Croupiers,' men who rake in
the money at the tables, are in
structed in the art of gambling in
the clubroom of the Tir aux Pigeons
and the Sale d Escrime of the casino.
Those who attend this school take
the part of croupier in turn, money
is placed on a table and within a
given time the winning stakes must
be calculated and paid out.
When croupier has passed all the
tests, he is placed in the public gam
bling rooms, and his working day is
of six hours duration, in two spells
of three hours each. For three con-
secutive days he works at one table
and is then shifted to another.
A croupier is engaged under rather
a strict agreement, a clause of which
stipulates that the Casino Company
has the right to dismiss him when
ever thought proper, and is under no
obligation to state reason for a
dismissal.
Monaco is a very prosperous princi-
pality, and it is actually kept in its
even, happy state by the gambling
rooms. In fact, this beauty spot on
the Riviera owes the casino nothing
but gratitude, for it has provided
each native family with so decent
means of livelihood that cases of
poverty are unknown
The Casino Company annually di-
vides a large sum between the treas
ury of the government of Monaco and
the municipality. Any further sum
if required for state or municipal ex-
penSes is raised in customs on wines
and other luxuries, from stamps and
from one or two monopolies.
The clergy, as well as the re-
ligious and educational institutions of
Monaco, are kept going by the casino,
for the company puts aside q GER
tain sum annually for such purposes,
and another sum for the judges and
law officers.
The gambling tables also supply
the army and police with their
maintenance allowances, and pay the
cost of the upkeep of a special laun-
dry, where the linen of the casino Of
ficials and the officers and men who
keep watch over the little despotic
monarchy is washed, starched and
ironed.