BOOKS: Madame Tata

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Author Tabouis preferred the "taste" in Paris, where she was thrilled by a "wonderful party" given by famed Couturier Paul Poiret. "At the door, we were met by half-naked Negroes, draped in beautiful Persian silks and holding torches and yatagans. . . . Pink ibises were strutting about in the light of the moon, and in trees with luminous fruit were monkeys and parrots attached to the branches by little chains. At last, at the end of the garden, we found Paul Poiret, an ivory whip in his hand, enthroned in the "midst of his beautiful harem. . . . There were men with huge snakes coiled about their necks . . . and fantastic-looking fortunetellers . . . one who had diamonds incrusted in her teeth. . . . As a finale, there was a peal of thunder, and as the 'storm' broke, the guests were showered with a rain of stars and thousands of brilliant insects which buzzed about, while the monkeys and parrots chattered and shrieked in terror."

The Long Armistice. During "the Long Armistice" between World Wars I & II, Author Tabouis broke the taboo that kept French women out of journalism, became League of Nations correspondent for two powerful provincial papers. She arrived for the fifth annual session, together with President Herriot, Gustav Stresemann, Ramsay MacDonald. Said one diplomat: "It is just like Deauville during the summer season."

Nevertheless, "everyone seemed to feel an almost religious faith in the creation of a system which would assure universal peace for long years to come."

Later Reporter Tabouis covered the making of the Locarno Pact, was as jubilant as Foreign Minister Briand for France's future. "Make way, guns, mitrailleuses, and cannons," cried Briand, "for understanding, arbitration and peace!" Realistic old Uncle Jules Cambon brought Niece Tabouis down to earth. "Can't you see," he said, "that in spite of all those fools at Geneva who are congratulating themselves on Locarno, nothing has been basically altered? Geneva cannot change human nature overnight!"

"Gradually" Reporter Tabouis "grew accustomed to the fact that there were really two worlds: the dream world of Geneva . . . and the world of reality—that of the Governments and Parliaments which were daily growing more and more nationalistic, one might even say xenophobic."

But five years later (it was 1929) Reporter Tabouis still received "a strong impression of warmth and enthusiasm" at the League's tenth session. The Young Plan had been substituted for the Dawes Plan. The unrealists sighed with relief. Said Briand: "There will be no more victors now, and no more defeated.' To symbolize the new international harmony there was an international radio concert. "The piano," said the woman announcer, "is in Paris, the first violin is in Vienna, the oboe is in London. . . . The conductor of the orchestra is in Berlin." "I hope," said Czech Prime Minister Benes, "that last isn't symbolic."