Evening star., 1941-07-13

tneSe pOC-pOurrlS toward the en0 OF May
At that time dining and dancing spots
like the Ambassadors. Scheherazade
Bagatelle, the newer Pavilion Elysees and
the Imperatrice, we're crowded, highly
successful if crowds mean that. But old
timers shake their heads at the strange
mixture of people.
Boites de mutt, or might boxes" as
the cabarets are called, have sprung up
like mushrooms under the stimulus of
German attendance. There are more
''michelines," lane sticks" and "sardine
boxes" than ever before. Up near the
Etoile, down near the Palais Royal, the
boites are going strong. These are all
night places. In fact any place is; when
German officers want to stay. Their
presence makes staying open obligatory
no matter what the hours.
Tea-drinking in Paris has few out
posts left. The ceremony keeps up at
The Ritz in a small way-only the ghost
of its former self.
Sherry's at the Rond Point is still
serving tea, and good deal of the
old atmosphere remains. None of the
famous pastries go the rounds except
three days in the week but cinnamon
toast is still a possibility. At other shops
tea is not always to be had.
Bars Are Rare.
Bars in Paris with any pretense to
social prestige are rare. The Crillon bar
died gracefully June IL last year. and
June IA all the Crillon became German
G. H. Q. The Meurice and the Scribe
bars were early reQuisitioned along with
their hotels. The bar at the Chiberta
is about as French bar as now remains.
The Ritz bar continues its cosmopolitan
character. The few Americans left in
Paris find it highly congenial.
At the better bars English whiskies
and gins are still to be had. Retail
supplies, however, are practically extinct.
Beginning July 10, even ordinary
vine which is almost like water to a
Frenchman was rationed A drinker
must register at the place where he
gets his supply ordinarily and thereafter
ne will get it only there)
All the swank luncheon places are
going strong. Food is the magnet. The
early birds get the choice foods, so
early does it in these food-scarce days.
Leading luncheon places stack up now
much as before in point of popularity,
including such old-time favorites as
Philippe's, Larues, Cartons, Maxim's,
Fouquet's, the Cremaillere and the
Cafe de Paris. The only hotel restaurant
left to civilians is the Ritz.
There is bitterness in French peoples
hearts, eating in. But they keep their
1ense Of proportion. The elaborate
1ropaganda in Paris papers, explaining
ood and other shortages, looks Like eye
ash to many of them.
Ironical Touch.
A big May fete of the French vas
given an ironical touch when the feast
of Jeanne D'Arc rolled around for the
first time since the occupation. Posters
plastered up all over Paris called on the
French people to honor this saint as
victim of English persecution and to
collaborate with Germany against the
English as a common enemy.
On this day of days for pious.
patriotic French, the accustomed Jeanne
D'Arc professions were forbidden. In
the early morning set wreaths were
tremendously placed before the saints
statues by censor approved hands" No
personal offerings as in former years
were permitted.
The conduct of the common German
soldier is usually correct, but in the first
days of the occupation women's fears
of him were reused to high pitch. A
German officer complained that French
women averted their eyes, turned to
look in shop windows, or crossed the
street, when he came along. French
girls seen in company with Germans
are looked on by other French people
with contempt.
Men in Paris are trying to live by
bread alone because meats good or bad
are scarce and prices of fruits and vege-
tables have skyrocketed. But not enough
bread tickets are issued per month to
permit an exclusive bread diet even If
one genuinely wished 1t. Bakers are
adamant. Money will not buy bread
If tickets are not forthcoming. In soma
quarters people who have used up theix
tickets are stealing bread.