Evening star., 1917-03-11
ience of The Star.
PARIS, March


PARIS, March /, 1917.
a YEAR AGO 1t was announced
IN that 1000 passages had been
~ booked by Americans on the
q = first ships to leave for Europe
as soon as the war should be over. Six
months ago it was said that there
were 10000 thus inscribed.
Today the number is put at 100000.
for which. of course. there would not
be enough tourist boats in the world.
But walt, speak of tourists. What Is
meant is that there will be an indefinite
multitude of Americans in Europe.
Every one who can will wish to see the
great battlefields of north France and
Belgium while they are still fresh. and
travel along part, at least. Of the 900
miles of trenches.
One thing certain is that the Ameri-
can tidal wave will rush to France, and
one thing admirable is that France. in
the midst of trying and bloody war.
has already begun organizing to re-
ceive the tide handsomely at it's flood.
l asked and obtained an authentic and
competent interview on this subject
The French foreign office sent me to
the president of the national office Of
touring, which the government has set
up. Do you realize-a cabinet men,
ber for touring? The post has como
into existence practically with the war.
1t is held by Fernand David, a mem
ber of parliament and former minister
IN different cabinets of agriculture and
commerce.
/ found him at his private fiat, over
a-.3 80 N@A~,
Dame Cathedral. He looks a young man
to have attained such high functions,
but any one can see that he is born
leader and organizer.
The national office of touring" he
said, has been working several months
in connection with the touring club,
the railway and steamship companies
and hotel syndicates to properly re-
ceive the flood of war tourists. par
rfeularly Americans"
do you expect many war tourists"
asked
1--WE hear of something like 100000
announced for the first year, according
to the capacity of steamships" he said.
There must be a service in Paris to
inform them about the possibility of
obtaining rooms, food, transport and
service in the zone of the armies. which
means. of course, that such rooms. food.
transport and service must exist. 1t is
with these essential matters that we
have occupied our organization up to
the present. Now we are getting into
touch with the tourist agencies. 1t is
important"
l was struck with admiration. All
this organization in full war! OF
course. we had heard echoes of it in
Paris. but he has an extra surprise for
me.
How soon after peace do you think
you can begin to receive the first tour
ists?" 1 asked.
He looked at me peculiarly. There
was meaning in that air of pride and
power.
Why after peace?" he said. They
will not wait till after peace. 1t is cer-
armies comes. the historical line of
trenches-the present front-will be
invaded by tourists"
X X
What" I exclaimed, will the zone
of the armies become automatically
free. with an advance of the front?"
Certainly" answered Fernand David.
''The Germans retiring to the Rhine
or Meuse. the old war zone will become
interior. You cannot stop them. Peo-
pie will come. What prevents them
from overrunning it now?-the re-
straints Of the armies But if the armies
are on the Rhine or the Meuse tourists
will circulate over the present front
as If they were in Paris"
l asked him how they propose to
lodge, feed and convey such multitudes
of tourists in the devastated war zone.
1t seems that tourists may be admitted
temporarily to see even before the
refugee populations are permitted to
return permanently to their damaged
homes. OF course those whose homes
have not been damaged will return to
them at once.
I'm many places the earlier war
tourists must be content with long one
story barrack hotels of simple boards,
but very hygienic. with brand-new fur