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Captain Alfred Lowenstein, Belgian billionaire: "I, who am sometimes reputed the richest man in Europe, was barred last week from entering the Bellevue Casino at Biarritz, France, because, though in evening dress myself, I was accompanied by a secretary not formally garbed. Doubling my fist I made contact with the loutish doorman's jaw, passed within. When he instituted suit against me for assault next day, I retained to defend me the celebrated barrister, onetime Finance Minister de Monzie of France. My extravagances include the ownership of a fleet of airplanes which bring to me, wherever I may be, fresh caviar from Russia, poulards from Toulouse and other delicacies. I travel habitually in an airplane fitted up as a business office. I inherited a large fortune from my father but have doubled it many times in Brazilian, Spanish and Mexican companies from which ] claim to have derived a total profit of one and a quarter billion Belgian francs ($35,000,000). My most famous attempted 'deal' was an offer to loan $100,000,000 to Belgium and France wherewith to stabilize their currencies. This fell through when it was discovered that I demanded personal control of the state finance of both countries during the stabilization period."
Gustav Stresemann, Foreign Minister of Germany: "A story went the rounds of Berlin last week that my ability to entertain lavishly on a salary of $6,400 a year is due to the kindly furtherance of my affairs by the multimillionaire Dr. von Kleefeld, my bachelor brother-in-law."
Alfred Salmon, rich and potent Chairman of J. Lyons & Co. Ltd. ("the Childs restaurants of Britain") and a director of Salmon and Gluckstein Ltd. (Empire famed tobacconists) : "I declared last week: 'Most young men lose great opportunities because they insist on congenial hours of work, enabling them to devote a good deal of time to sport; profitable businesses, such as hotel and restaurant-keeping are surrendered to foreigners by sport-ridden British youths who wish to be free to play games in the evening.' "
Capt. Ernest Maurras, S. S. Paris: "I piloted my ship to France for the last time last week. Myron T. Herrick, U. S. Ambassador to France, was one of my passengers. I have reached the age limit, 55, after 37 years of seafaring. To newsgatherers I would only say: 'I would rather not speak about it at all.' I shall recross the ocean this month as an ordinary passenger to attend the wedding of one of my children."
Elbridge Thomas Gerry, 89, lawyer, author of articles on cruelty to children, and owner of a private library of 30,000 volumes, grandson of U. S. Vice-President (1812-14) Elbridge Gerry: "A fallow deer jumped over a 10-foot iron paling in front of my Fifth Avenue house and stood, with vain eyes and excited flanks, before my door. Captured by Policemen and idlers, it was removed to the Central Park Zoo, which reported that it was not one of theirs."