The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-03-23
WAR IN EUROPE
 ENHANCES DELIGHT OF SEEING AMERICA
It's Charms on the Verge of Discovery By An Army
 of Tourists.

Recent developments in the Euro pea.n struggle have tended merely to confirm earlier impressions that this is to be no year for European travel. Whatever may have been the hopes of those whose trips abroad were rudely interrupted or deferred last summer, they must have been dashed lately.
 Even the seas about Europe are now included in the war zone Ex- cept in eases of the most urgent nec- essity, 8. trip abroad now or for some time. to come, either for business or for pleasure, appears to be clearly out of the question.
 This being the case, what a chance there is this year for America; for it's beautiful lakes and forests, the w1tchery of it's mountains. it's won derful watering places and luxurious hotels, yes, and for even the humblest sort of summer boarding house nest ling in New England's hills or near the sea- For this truly is the year for seeing America, not first as the injunction always has been here tofores not for reasons of patriotism, but because this year one has got to see it, or stay home altogether
 Despite all the charms which this country has had to offer, thousands of Americans in other years about this time have begun planning trips abroad, picking out European spas and resorts in which to spend their playume. They have gone abroad to the tune of about 5OO,000 every year. And they have spent much money aI- so abroad. The amount has been yariously estimated at from $780, 00O,O00 to $2OO,O0o, ,OO0. But it is Americas chance this time. No oth- CT place is in the running, now that the seas upnsafe and Europe's 8 shambles.
 There could be no better indication of the popularity of America this year with travellers than is afforded by a perusaF of the society columns of the newspapers these days. In- stead of being bound for English shooting preserves and European re- sorts, the people whose doings are there cE1ronicled are planning to put in their time from now on through famous for their entertainment of vis- itors.
 The American hotel keeper and the purveyor of summer amusement are too shrewd to have this lost upon Country boarding house keepers are polishing up their furniture and counting up their stock of china in the hopes of profiting. by this Euro pean war. Hotel keepers are plan ming additions and figuring on more help The man who sells ginger 'spopH and peanuts on the beach, the
 
 proprietor, alIt are wondering what it is going to mean to have these 50O, GOO tourists added this year to the usual quota of Americans who have believed in seeing America first, last and all the time. A.vast amount of patronage is sure to- be one of the commercial advantages accruing to. them from this terrible war. And 1t will help the whole country.
 Americans are the best tourists in Ia g. keepers who have been catering to their wants They like comfort and luxury and they spend their money freely. But they are also discrimi- hating. Barred from Europe this year, they are likely to select for their country and those places which can come the nearest fo afording that measure of comfort and charm which they have been accustomed to derive in Europe. And here is the great pportunity for New England
 New England is distinctively the summer playground of the eastern portion of the United States. No people are more experienced in cater ing to the comfort and pleasure of tourists. no region of the country can offer such variety of charm and Facilities for enjoying all that nature has to offer. Each of the six states that make up New England is a nat ura1 vacation resort. The wonderful hotels of this region can vie with those of Europe. Indeed throughout New England tizis business of cater ing to tourists and summer visitors is just as much of an industry, just as carefully managed and organized, as it is abroad. For one thing, these New England places have been at 1t longer than most places in this coun- try They are thus the more expeFi- enced in anticipating the wants of travellers. in making them cosey and comfortable. It is business which is said to mean over $10O,0oO, 900 a year and New England believes in. re- taining it.
 This fact alone should suffice to bring to New England this summer a very large proportion of this army of travellers which fs< debarred from European travel this year. It is safe to say that nowhere else in this country could they obtain anything more nearly resembling Europe than what New. England from the shores of the Sound to the lake and woods of northern Maine can offer.
 But as those who have not been going abroad know, New England's attractions for tourists and summer visitors do not begin and end along her coast line any more than do the pleasures of Europe begin and end at such watering places as Dieppe. OStend and Brighton or the Riviera
 You can get much of the atnos- phere of the English lake country in the Berkshire Hills, a country con eeded by all visitors to be of llnioue charm. Not only the landscapes but the old towns themselves have much of the flavor of old England Tn place of Switzerland and the Alps for these disappointed European tour ists New England offers the White Mountains. With their innumerable ey~,r-4cs ', of luxury may be obtained, where the experience of entertaining tourists goes back a hundred years and more. this region surely is entitled to cali itself America's Switzerland scenicaI- ly and in all it has to offer by way of