New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-22
UNREST IN LAT|NQUARTER
Popularity of Americans, but
"DOWn with the MetequeS!"
Paris, July IA.

| Il al 49, July IL
| american students here are not
meteques, and we do not count them
as foreign invaders. These words
were addressed to a Tribune corre-
spondent at the close of an indignation
meeting held a few days ago by a
group of French students in the Latin
Quarter to protest against the for
eign INVASION During the last three
months a strong trend of feeling has
been noticed among French students
against foreign students, and especially
against Russians, Rumanians. Servians,
Scandinavians and Spaniards. A thor
ough and impartial investigation Of the
causes Of the present agitation shows
| that il results from a misunderstand-
! ing that can easily be remedied. The
principal reason for the hostile move
ment is found in the 'equivalentes,' or
! licenses of collegiate attainment, that
carry with them the right Of inscrip-
ton as students at the Sorbonne and
! the University of Paris. These equiv
alentes," issued by foreign universities
| and colleges, correspond to and are In
| fact equivalent to the French degree
of Bachelor of Arts. The French stu
dents complain Il at these licenses are
too freely granted by foreign govern
ments to students who come to Paris
to continue their studies and are not
/ 81, Id
by the rectors of the University Of
Paris, who should require much higher
levels of instruction and capacity be-
fore inscribing foreigners In the vari-
Gus university courses. Owing to the
facility with which the licenses are ac-
corded the courses given by the French
professors are crowded with foreigners,
many Of whom are unprepared to profit
by the higher instruction impaired.
Consequently, the professors waste
time in explanations which are exclG-
sively for the benefit OF foreigners.
thereby interfering with the course OF
instruction which the French students
have a right to exact. The great in
fluence Of the foreigners thus lowers
the level of the French standard of in
struction, and as the foreigners flock
in great numbers to the lecture rooms
long before the hours indicated they
manage TO secure all the best seats.
The French students cannot do this.
because they attend more courses than
the foreigners, and are often kept in
other lecture rooms until five minutes
before their next lesson begins.
The remedy suggestive Of this is sim
pie and effective. The professors
should be required to maintain the in
tellectual standard Of their lectures. re-
CARELESS Of the demands Of the foreign
ers, who should be obliged to fit them
selves adequately for the courses they
versity standard is not the sole cause
Of complaint against the foreigners. II
one enters the cafes in the Latin Quar-
ter, especially those of the "Bour
Niche" one meets compact groups of
Rumanians, Moldavians, Slavonians,
Servians and Russians not only monop-
olizing the best places, but flirting with
the most attractive young women OF
the locality. The young Rumanian
students have more money TO spend
than their French comrades. and thus
the -lescauts," az they are
called. aroused considerable jealousy.
1t is difficult to understand fully the
bitterness and odum Of the term me
teque' when applied to foreign stu
dents. The word Is OF Greek origin.
meaning "A repulsive outsider or stran-
ger who by some Illicit means has come
within the gates. This term is con-
stantly applied to the foreign students
and has led TO many fights and brawls.
In which the police have been obliged
10 Intervene. In justice TO the French
students IL should be noted that as a
whole they fully appreciate that since
the Middle Ages IL has always been a
great source of glory and amour propre
of the University Of Paris and OF the
Sorbonne to attract the intellectual
elite Of Europe. They are fully con-
sCious that it would tarnish the laurels
of the university and discredit French
traditions TO impede or restrict the en-
trance Of foreign students 10 Paris.
They are determined to keep the doors
open. but insist that the foreigners