Wines

German-American Vines. So unusual is mob violence in Germany that the whole Fatherland was shocked last week, when 5.000 Rhineland peasants sullenly surrounded the District Court House at quaint Germersheim. Shaking gnarled fists, brandishing keen pruning knives, they behaved exactly like U. S. citizens about to lynch.

Inside the Court House cowered no blackamoor. Something else had roused the passions of the mob. A law about an insect: phylloxera vastatrix.

Between 1882 and 1885 this terrible parasite swept the vineyards of France, blighted more than 2,500,000 acres, caused an estimated loss of $250,000,000. Next it spread to Australia and New Zealand, where French vines had been transplanted. Piercing at last the recesses of Asia, the triumphant plant louse blighted even the vineyards of His Highness the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir.

Eventually the vines of America saved those of Europe and the antipodes. Virile to the point of coarseness, bursting with a health and vigor 100% American, they were rushed to the stricken vineyards of France and upon their robust stalks were grafted delicate, refined French shoots. Thus, by a stupendous paradox the U. S., which was to become dry, enabled France to continue wet.

In Germany last week the gesticulating mobsmen were wrought up over a new phylloxera paradox. They were all peasants who have planted a particularly coarse American vine which flourishes on German soil almost without care. Growing like a weed, it yields mass production quantities of a crude, strong wine which can be sold to workmen's taverns at a big profit per acre. Abounding in strength, the American vine carries without harm to itself a phylloxera louse which is now spreading with deadly results to the laboriously tended German vines of neighboring estates in the Rkeinpfalz.

Stirred by complaints from the district, the Bavarian Minister of Agriculture at Munich recently ordered all American vines near Germersheim destroyed. That roused the mob, As it grew uglier last week 150 State police dashed up in motorcars, formed a cordon around Germersheim Court House. Doubling in fury, the mob broke the cordon, stoned and stormed the neat brick structure.

In desperation the fat Mayor of Germersheim leaped upon a truck, begged the mob in the Fatherland's name to disgrace Germany no further, promised to go to Munich and intercede in their behalf.

Shrewd and essentially phlegmatic, the German peasants knew a good offer when they saw it. Nevertheless they prepared to remain at Germersheim, according to their leaders, "until the Government agrees to let us keep the vines we have."

At Munich, Dr. Heinrich Held, Bavarian Prime Minister, declared martial law in Germersheim.

French Bargain. Although eleven liners sailed from Manhattan in a period of 48 hours last week, all jammed with U. S. tourists, the French Government has become alarmed at the increasing reluctance of U. S. spenders to spend in France, their growing tendency to favor Germany.

Quick to act in this emergency was the new and dynamic Prime Minister of France, M. Andre Tardieu, famed as L'Americain, the first "young" Frenchman (he is 53) to hold his great office since the War. One of M. Tardieu's first acts was to create a new Government officer: High Commissioner of Tourists and Touring Gaston Gerard. Last week resourceful M. Gerard announced that Paris presses are whirring overtime to turn out a rush order of bargain tourist tickets "specialement pour nos amis les Americains."

By paying a flat $100 the U. S. tourist will very shortly be able to buy a ticket covering all his or her expenses for a shiptoship 15-day tour in France. There will be several optional "bargain itineraries," nearly all including Paris, but all including wine.

Without a doubt High Commissioner Gerard got his idea from the French Line. Years ago they decided to supply free and unlimited table wines to passengers in all classes of their transAtlantic ships: lie de France, Paris, France, etc. In no small measure "free wine" accounts for the fact that all through the summer the French Line's cheaper accommodations, especially their Cabin Class ships, are sold out months ahead, sometimes as early as February.

If a half million U. S. citizens buy the French "bargain tickets'' this year, if most of them drink and like the wine they have paid for, then High Commissioner Gerard will have struck a subtle blow for the major agricultural industry of France. Astute, he foresaw last week that U. S. Drys may protest, forestalled them by announcing that the wine coupons on the French Government's 15-day tours will also be cashable in mineral water.

Belgian Burgundy. Because Belgium is celebrating on July 21 next her 100th Anniversary of Independence, the Portuguese Government lately despatched to King Albert, no teetotaler, 24 fat flagons of rare old crusted Port.

But much as the Belgians like the national wine of Portugal they like French Burgundy better. Per capita, small Belgium is the deepest drinker of Burgundy on earth. Last week the leading Burgundy shippers, tardy but spurred to action by Portugal's example, shipped to His Majesty a great cask of excessively rare Burgundy 100 years old--a liquid treasure reserved for friends of the great shippers, not to be bought at any price.

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