Monaco

"It is my earnest wish to abolish gambling at Monte Carlo. We have the most beautiful harbor in the world and I would like to see people sail out of it without heavy hearts occasioned by losses." Since coming to the throne on the death of my father, I have uncovered an incredible condition of affairs at the Casino. I cannot describe it now, but I solemnly promise my people that they will soon be relieved of the dreadful situation of living on other people's misfortunes. Monte Carlo came near breaking my heart." These are the words of Prince Louis, present ruler of the minute principality in the south of France. Recently the Prince refused $2,000,000 as his share of the Casino profits until his own auditors had examined the Casino books. The accountants discovered that Mme. Chinon--well known to Monte Carlo habitues --had been in the habit of borrowing large sums of money with which to play. If she lost it was impossible for her to repay the money; if she won, she never bothered about her debt. Closer inquiry revealed the fact that Mme. Chinon had been implicated in the ruin of rich visitors. Prince Louis promptly banished her from his domains. The Prince, formerly a Colonel in the French Army, succeeded his father, Prince Albert, on June 26, 1922. He was born on July 12,1870, and is the son, by his father's first marriage, of Lady Mary Douglas Hamilton. His coronation took place early in the present season and great fetes were held in celebration. It is common knowledge on the Continent that a majority of the shares in the Casino are in the hands of Sir Basil Zaharoff, the mysterious European banker, whose millions are legion, and who has, it is reported, financed Emperors and Kings, wars and rebellions. The next largest shareholder is Gregory Vagliano, adventurer and gambler. On the night of March 12 of this year at the Sporting Club he--won 2,000,000 francs, the bulk of which was so great that it had to be carried to his hotel by Casino porters in ten waste paper baskets crammed to the limit of their capacity. Mme. Chinon, the deposed "Madame Pompadour" of Monaco, wielded unlimited power over the Casino. No employee was hired or dismissed without her approval. No prizes were given for any competition unless she had been previously consulted.

Four hundred million dollars is said to be the yearly revenue of the Casino, the Hotel de Paris, the Sporting Club, the Cafe de Paris, all of which are controlled by the same company.