Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-16

tHdl ia0y was tourist. DOuDtieSS she
thinks she is doing something original; but
she would certainly be surprised and, pos
sibly, pleased to learn the great number
of American women who have had that
same Idea of profiting by two weeks
trip to Paris to investigate the schools.
Every week there are two or three Of
them. They want to inspect the School
of Decorative Arts, of Beaux-Arts, of
Arts and Manufactures, the schools of
the Louvre, the professional schools. the
commercial schools, the normal superior,
the normal primary, the primary ele-
mentary and superior! There have been
and the Polytechnique! 1t is really get
ting to be bore to the French authori-
ties.'
When l expressed surprise at the dearth
of truly diplomatic cases the first secre-
tary expressed satisfaction.
The only strictly diplomatic case on
my list today he said, deals with "A
naturalized American citizen who will
is in the hands of the military authori-
ties. One such affair can cause us more
responsibility and trouble than all these
daily trifieS combined.
Here is the dilemma, he continued /:
The French republic does not admit that
one of its citizens can renounce French
nationality so long as he is liable to per-
form his legal military SCI vice-of which
the reserve brings him to his thirty sixth
year. Once transferred to the territorial.
he may change his nationality without
permission of his government; but, look
you. here is a Frenchman. naturalized
American-and only thirty years
old!'
What can you do for him." 1 asked
I'VE can have him released if he can
prove he was naturaliZed after the time
French reserve; otherwise he must bear
his fate"
Dead Broke in Paris.
AS Mr.. Vignaud said these words a gem
tie sobbng penetrated to us. There was
a knock, a whispered conversation and
as 1 discreetly escaped to the Office of
Frederic Biesel. old and valued mem
Der of the embassy force. / was embar-
raised to observe the gentle sobber COM
ing in behind me.
Surely 1 would not treat lightly that
form of distress known as dead broke in
Paris when the victim is lady; so if
tell her strange dilemma. be sure it is
with her full consent. An America n born
lady was without funds, without friends
Il lost my money in the San Francisco
earthquake,' she sobbed, and now 1 am
on the point of losing the one precious
thing remaining to me-
''What?' l asked.
gasped.
Are you going to marry a French
man. ] inquired; but she shook her head
Indignantly. Have you committed armed
high seas? Or been outlawed by the star
chamber"
NO, nor she murmured, as great tears
rolled down, lit is the new law they are
going to pass in Congress. Have you not
heard of it? The State Department wishes
it. The House committee has reported ia
vorably on it! All Americans residing five
years out of the United States will ipso
facto automatically lose their nationality,
and l have been four years and eleven
months out of the jursdiction''
Hurry back before the month expires
suggested, counting my own years of alb
Sence uneaSily.
That's it, she said; i've come to be re-
patriated by our government. 1 have no
money for the passage
Does Not Return Destitute Citizens.
1 shall not forget the look of mingled in
credulity and pain on the good lady's face
when she learned that our government
alone of all the nations-makes no proyi-
sion for bringing home destitute citizens
There are no funds in the hands of our
representatives abroad to succor those who,
by misfortune, go broke far from home.
What would you do If 1 came here hun
gry?" l asked.
of our own pockets" answered Mr.. Diesel.
when a mani or woman tells you he or
she is starving what else can you do?"
''of course, the point of view is every
tute American before us; everything in us
cries out humiliating him by charity; yet he
must be relieved. On the other hand, the
sentiment of congress in Withholding an
appropriation may be: don't go to Eu-
rope; why should your"
But exclaimed the lady, what of stu
dents to be, later our seed scatterers of
culture; what of fellow countrymen who
try to introduce American inventions and
products-veritable pioneers of American
greatness? What of those whose remit
tances fail?"
For answer, Mr. Diesel handed us the pa
pers of a noble charitable Organization
the American Relief Society. Its subscrip-
ton book is always headed by the Ameri-
can ambassador, followed by the principal
Franco American banks 1t makes an an
nual round OF the colony, which" says
b.. niesel. contains many generous and
ia<thfG contributors.
"Tne amount thus collected @durlng the
past year" tiJ rnn'iuued. was over $1,000,
in itself not a IGrge sum; but judciously
expended by an administration not at all
of the Ginx Beay order. t!Ic n.ss5y allevist-
ed was considerable
In glancing over IL. aecnir..s ( saw that