Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-01-27
BY ROY P. PORTER.
Associated Press staff Writer.

Associated Press staff Writer.
NEW YORK. Jan. 27-Parisians
who object to rationing restrictions
and have enough money to support
themselves in the style to which
they are accustomed try the buy
bootleg" method, but it's dangerous
business.
That's because under the law the
man who sells soap or silk stockings
or even beefsteak on prohibited days
can be fined up to million francs,
closed out and sent to prison. And
the buyer may get the same stiff
treatment if caught with the goods
Despite the difficulties, some little
boulevard peddlers have built up
profitable businesses in contraband.
For example, American cigarets
virtually don't exist in Paris, since
they've been smoked up or hidden
away and no more are coming in
Buff you have friend who knows
friend you may get a carton of
your favorite brand. You pay not
less than Is francs (55 cents)
package. The same goes for some
lower-grade English cigarets and a
few of the milder French brands.
Silk Stockings BootIegged.
Women have entered the bootleg
silk stocking industry in a big way
I heard recently of several who had
formed mob" dealing in chiffon
hose-at 125 francs ,s275), where
the normal price, if there were any
left. would be about IS francs
(s180.
One of the best of the rackets is
In soap and shaving soap A man
I know found a friend who worked
In a bar who had access to stock
of Soap-Several Well-knoWn Amer
lean brands and more French. He
bought two dozen cakes as his win
ter supply, after the soap rationing
was announced. He paid Il francs
t26 cents a cake, instead of the
usual 3 francs, but was so happy
to find it that he told some of his
best friends he was planning a bath
tub party for the next Saturday
nlght-if there was any hot water.
Gasoline-that means regular gas
oline without alcohol-has become
big business. The people who have
cars and permits to operate them
often find it difficult to get gas, even
at authorized service stations deal
Ing in official coupon books.
A foreign correspondent got a
telephone call one morning from a
man who said he had 1900 gallons
to sell. Did he want some? The
correspondent said sure, he'd like
all he could pay for, but how much
was it. Only 25 francs t55 cents
gallon" came the reply. But you
have to take the whole car at once"
The deal petered out right there.
Butter Is Contraband.
Other contraband commodities
include butter priced at 165 francs
for 5 pounds. or more than 70 cents
a pound; salad oil. now very rare
because most of it comes from
French colonies in Africa, at so
francs quart (Sl10) instead of 9
francs or 20 cents and such miscel-
laneous items as navy beans. dried
split peas, lentils and noodles. all
subject to food restrictions.
The bootleggers and the buyers
suffer severely when caught. They
are doubly guilty, first because they
are dealing in contraband merchan-
disc, and second because tn ~ violate
the rigid regulation which prohibits
raising of prices without official per-
mission.
And they must answer to charges
from two administrations as we'll
the French authorities who control
directly the distribution of food
stuffs and the Germans who plan
the ratloning schedules on the basis
OF existing supplies with periodic
declarations of all stocks held in
warehouses.
French police are active in run
ming down bootleggers. confscating
their illegal stocks and Selling con-
signments during delivery.
One woman was caught with
suitcase full of linen thread-hard
to get because the northern textile
mills still are operating at only a
part OF their capacity. She pleaded
innocent and was discharged on
the ground that thread was not
rationed: but she paid a fine on
the charge that she had violated the
boarding regulation.
It's all very much on the Q. t.
but if you've got friend who's got
a friend.