Dumb Deputies

At the Sorbonne, Paris' 700-year-old university, there are neither football teams, fraternities nor student proms. Undergraduate amusements are far more individual. Not long ago Students Andre Sarved, Paul de Rivaudier and Lucien Hoch sat behind a mounting tower of saucers at a Montparnasse cafe table and decided that French deputies, who were then shouting themselves into a lather over payment of War Debts to the U. S., were appallingly ignorant of U. S. life, geography, institutions.

Few days later 72 French deputies received a carefully typewritten letter. The printed head was that of the Paris branch of the ETHNICAL DEFENSE LEAGUE OF NEWFOUNDLANDERS AND GUATEMALANS whose New York headquarters was given as "43 72nd Ave. N. W. 2." The E. D. L. N. G. appealed to France's legislators for moral support of a petition about to be presented to President-elect Roosevelt. It commenced:

"You know that two states of the Republic of the United States are deprived of a majority of the privileges enjoyed by the 42 others. They are the States of Newfoundland and Guatemala.

"Newfoundland, as you know, is inhabited by 2,000,000 people of Spanish origin who still speak Spanish since Cortes conquered the country from the Incas, while the Guatemalans speak Portuguese, since Don Pedro of Syracuse conquered the country in 1456. . . . As just one example of injustice, these two States are represented in the American Senate by only one Senator, whereas the others, such as New York, have 12.

"At a time when Yankee imperialism shows a desire to dominate Europe, the Ethnical Defense League is seeking to interest Europeans in our unhappy fate and has already obtained the support of a number of German deputies and also strong British support, including that of David Lloyd George."

Last week came the cracker that drew roars of glee from all Paris. Of the 72 Deputies, nine wrote to the E. D. L. N. G. promising their undying support. The dumb Deputies:

1) Pierre Barbero (Rhone). 2) Max Dormoy (Allier), a well-known etcher. 3) Armand Dupuis (Oise). 4) Louis Gardiol (Basses Alpes). 5) Alfred La Court (Nord), who holds a responsible position on the French Chamber's Army Committee. 6) F. Ledoux (Ardennes). 7) Robert Mauger (Loire). 8) Jules Mitton (Eure et Loir). 9) T. Romastin (Department of Sarthe).

Ran a typical Deputy's reply to the jokesmiths' appeal:

"I consider that it is not within the province of any country or parliament to give advice to another country in internal matters, yet I am astonished that a democratic republic such as the United States should differentiate between the States forming the confederation."

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