Dear Publisher

I thought you and some of our subscribers might like to know what it costs some of TIME & LIFE'S correspondents to live and work in Paris, so I asked three of them to give me an account of their expenses on a typical day. The day we picked was January 18. And here is what we spent in francs (you can get francs in the black market for less than the pegged price, but we buy all ours at the legal rate of 2-c- U. S. per franc) :

Correspondent Lael Tucker got up in a 400-franc Lancaster Hotel room, washed in cold water, breakfasted on three slices of bread and butter supplemented with honey brought from the south of France and cafe national (burnt barley)-- cost of breakfast, 100 francs. Her car broke down half way to an appointment, so the final three-quarter -mile trip in a Velo taxi cost 300 francs. She took a member of the Consultative Assembly to a moderate-priced restaurant for lunch -- 700 francs. Bought a plain white handkerchief to blow her nose in -- 90 francs. Bought a weekly supply of cigarets, candy, toothbrush and powder-- 25 francs. Bought a cheap diary to keep her dates in --200 francs. Dinner with wine at the Hotel Scribe (Army-operated -- therefore inexpensive) 115 francs.

Wood for small fire in room before going to bed-- 100 francs. Tips for the day--50 francs. Total for the day -- 2080 francs or $41.60.

Correspondent Elmer Lower arose in a 175-franc room in the Scribe Hotel, breakfasted for 20 francs, spent the morning running to & fro in Paris with Dave Scherman taking pictures for TIME & LIFE. Velo taxis-- 1000 francs. He lunched for 20 francs at the Scribe (no wine), spent 2 francs getting to the office on the metro, took a member of France

Presse to dinner at a cost of 1000 francs. Tips for the day--100 francs. Total for the day --2317 francs or $46.34.

Correspondent Mary Welsh was laid up with grippe, spent only the following: breakfast of bread and hot water to mix with Nescafe -- 70 francs plus 100 francs tip to waiter who was not supposed to bring anything to rooms. Lunch without wine --350 francs. Dinner with half-bottle of wine --500 francs. Firewood for room in the evening--150 francs plus 100 francs tip (no tip, no wood). Telephone calls, newspapers, aspirin and tips to maid who smoothed bed and boy who brought paper handkerchiefs -- 350 francs. Total for the day --1620 francs or $32.40.

I spent very little myself: i.e., only 400 francs for room, 135 francs for lunch and dinner, about 200 francs in necessary tips, except before dinner when I invited two business friends to the room for a drink. Somebody had given me a bottle of vermouth and the headwaiter assured me he could furnish a bottle of gin to make some Martinis. When the waiter arrived with the gin he asked me if I would mind paying for it in cash. I said I would be glad to and how much was it? 2000 francs! So this little bit of hospitality cost me just 40 cold American dollars. Total for the day-- 2735 francs or $54.70.

These reports are typical only in their variety. Prices are either very high or very low and all we can do is try to keep the average down. For instance, anything in the way of luxuries is skyhigh. Bed and board and PX supplies are very low but there is a strict limit to the use of Army facilities and so your staff has to supplement them with things bought outside. I almost forgot the packet of cigarets I bought that day to eke out my PX supply -- cost 250 francs or $5.

Cordially,

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