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Show PROFITEERS ANGER TRAVELERS Extortion Practiced in Paris Arouses Americans.' French Authorities Tell Them the Remedy Is in Their Own Hands. Paris. The effect of the high cost of living In Paris upon tourist trade, as Indicated by the growing frequency of complaints of extortion by Americans Ameri-cans visiting France, is occupying the attention of the government. The authorities hold that the tourists tour-ists have the cure largely in their own hands, exaggerated prices being due In large part to indiscriminate spending by visitors, aided by the spendthrift tendency of French profiteers. prof-iteers. It is admitted that abuses ;irac-tlced ;irac-tlced In amusement resorts, where meals, wine and dnneir.g are provide 1. have their effect upon prices in --!!- ral, but how to correct that evil without discouraging the most profitable profit-able trade Is a question. Undersecretary of State Palsant, discussing the question with Americans, Ameri-cans, proposes publicity as remedy. He has Invited American visitors to join in a protest which will be published pub-lished in the Paris press, and he also will take up personally individual enss of extortion brought to his attention. at-tention. The most frequent causes of complaint com-plaint are charges for Iodines In hotels ho-tels and apartments. Mr. Pnisant told the Americans he had decided to ?sk hotels to publish their rates in the pr.pers. This remedy would not, however, how-ever, affect apartments, which are the subject of proliteeriti on n scale hitherto unknov. n. There are very few m.fii:-n:hed riparttMents to let, according tn the real e;:ite agencies: as f:it as vaea'ed by tenants. t!:,-v are trnris- f.M-mr.! !? f!-.' ...t t.-- n- on either Jet at rentals of from 300 lo 1,000 per cent higher than the average before the war for furnished apartments apart-ments of the same class, or rented at an Increase of 200 to 300 pe.- ;t-nt above the average for unfurnished apartments, with the proviso that the tenant buy the furniture at excessive figures. |