New Britain herald., 1926-02-04
TWO COUNTRIES
 CLAIM MIME. CUR|E
Poland and France Say She's
 Citizen

France and Poland. contend for the allegiance of Marie Sklodowska Curie, known 10 all the world as Madame Pierre Cur!e. co-discoverer with her husband of one of the most treasured of sciences secrcts-ra- dium.
 But Madame Curie herself, though n little touch of homesick- ness takes her back to Warsaw each summer. received French citizenship when she married Pierre Cure in 1895 and feels that she belongs 10 tho land that holds his resting grave"
 Since she has chosen French nn- tionality there Is not n Frenchman alive who would refuse her the title of "the most notable woman in France"
 Madame Curio works and lives in the street which the city of Paris has named after her husband. Mum. her One Pierre CuHe street, is one Of the mower buildings belonging 10 tho scientific schools of the Univer- sity of Paris, It is q raw-colored, ugly building, surrounded by half finished laboratories and muddy ex- cavations.
 Mime, Curie came into small waiting room from her laboratory. quietly and unobtrusively slipping through a partly opened door, Mime. Curie?"
 "I am Mime. Curie."
 She sat down in one of the llt- tie chairs, her interviewer taking one directly opposite. Folding her hands she waited, face expression less, but with a gleam in the eyes that seemed to say;
 Now young man, no nonsense. Keep to the point and we'll get this over with"
 X minute passed while she stared the interviewer out of countenance. and into forgetting what he had come for. Her eyes aFone steadily, 'unblinkingly through her spectaclcs. The straight, severely-cut black dress seemed 10 disappear into the background, the odd, old-fashioned shoes were forgotten; Mme. Curie has a pair of keen eyes gleamng like radium in the dark. The rest Of her body was dead. but life glow cd like a white-hot flame in her brain.
 What do you want to see me for?" Mme. Curie seemed 10 have startled herself inspeaking so sud denly
 Tt is considered that you are the most distinguished woman in France. Mme. Curio. We are collect ing a series of articles on the most notable women of all countries"
 Mime. Curie was wholly unmoved.
 "Yes?"
 Were you interested In the study of radium's properties before you met your husband, Mime. Curie?"
 "I think that Is not q good eues- ton that you ask me. l think 1t is improper I should speak of those things, because my husband is no moro alive now. I never talk sc, about myself, but only give consul. tations on scientific things, Al this hour now I give information of that kind. There Is something written about my work and I will give such things 10 you. II is all I can do.
 This tells about my going 10 America. And here Is about the meeting at the opera before I went away, with what the people said, And this is all will tell you about myself. Oh. Oh' you may say that my eldest daughter. Irene is work. ing fin my laboratory with me and Ithat Eve. the younger. Is a pianiste l-~you know--with hcsitant side glance-Shc plays the piano. And soon she is giving concert In Paris"
 Nearly forty years of scientific research have worn away her body, but her mind seems only the strong CT for It. They must have been lone Ily years, too, since she had to carry Oll tllt WI lOl lNp N'A V Curie was run over by a truck In flQO6.
 Teaching constantly, advising oth- Ter scientists. experimenting. organ i2ing a radium treatment hospital during the world war. winning a Nobel Prize for hemistry-these have been the labors and the fruits growing ont of the first work with Pierre Curie in the little inadequate laboratory when both were poor land O ly the ''h -' 'nds sup piled the money and the materials necessary for experiments. These things Mme. C, ie does not wisn 10 speak of: but they are known every where.