Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-11-10
FORMER HONOIULAN WRITES OF
QUEER THINGS NEAR SALON|kI
Harry W. Frantz Now in American Ambulance Service Finds
Countless Europeans Once Immigrants in U. S.. Who Are
Looking Forward to Return


Mote: The author Of this article
Harry w. Frantz, Is former Homo
iulan. For some time until few
months ago he was linotype operatoI
for the Star-BuIIetfn. A keen, persis
tent and open-r1inded student of men
books and events, he left Hawaii fol
the Philippines, where he had Variec
experiences, returned here, went 4
California to college, and then with al
ambulance organization to Europe
This article deals with conditions a.
he has found them on the SoIonik
front, the most recent and most inter
esting news written by Honolular
from this tFeater Of the great war. Il
10 from The New Republic, In which
Ii occupies a prominent place.
There will be a great emigration
from southern Europe to the United
States Immediately after the war.
The desire to go back to America is
so intense as to be almost painful in
the case of the soldiers who have re-
turned to Europe to participate in the
struggle. In Marseilles I met a French
pl4NdIO III aAOoS IuO IAOu61lb VI
going back to the United States re.
manned uppermost throughout an aft,
ernoon-it amounted almost to an
idee fixe. Time after time our CONVEX.
sation would recur to that subject, and
nothing that i could say about the
beauty of France, the grandeur of Pa
ris, or the charm of French life would
discourage comparisons which were in
favor of things American. 12...'
when go back, go back to stay, -
he insisted. ~. -. ". II .'>,
Italians Anxious to Return ~
While in an important Mediterra-
mean port Of Italy was literally be-
sieged by Italian civilians who want
ed to talk about New York and Phil
adelphia. Almost unanimously they
declared their intention to go to Amer.
lea as soon as possible. Occasionally
an old man would admit half-heartedly
that he had no such desire, but even
in such cases there was mention of
sons or daughters who had gone or
would go. There were numerous in.
quiries as to immigration regulations.
OF course, some of the talk about the
United States was merely compliment
tary, but more often the economic
motive was frankly expressed.
Il set big pay. in United States. {. :.
Plenty to eat at New York. :. have
the fine time in Chicago" And a hun
dred kindred remarks. -" "
/ spent several pleasant evenings in
the company of Italian soldiers at a
barracks in southern Italy. \ surpris-
ing number of the men had been to
the United States. Many of their less
fortunate fellows obviously were we'll
informed. English was commonly
spoken, and frequently one was hail
ed in some such fashion as, Hello,
American, how's things in the states"
The ensuing conversations would
bring forth tales of employment in
San Francisco, Seattle, Pittsburg, Buff.
falo, scattered cities throughout the
country. Always the comparison was
made between the small wages paid
in Italy relatively high just at pres.
emit and those prevailing in America,
and there was much curiosity con-
corning the present state of the labor
market and the wages paid to NUM-
tions workers. a> 49, .> :
A Boston Barber
One chance acquaintance was an
italian who had owned barber shop
in Boston. As salesman of barber
he had travelled in all parts
Of the United States, and his eyes
were almost fearful as he talked of
this city and that. "..s~.
fI'll be happy when l get back
there" he said. There were several
requests, for American tobacco, on one
occasion from man who seemed less |
proud of the fact that he wore the
cocks plume of the famous Bersag-I
lieri than of the fact that he had oncel
earned five dollars a day in Buffalo. |
One night several American lads, en-
route for the Balkans for service as
ambulance drivers, attended an open
air concert rendered by real artists
for the time engaged in the work of !
the war. 1t was a moonlight night |
and the. setting was as beautiful as |
any ever pictured in opera or play, yet
the romance of the occasion was in
no wise diminished by the fact that |
Italian operate numbers were supple |
mented by American ragtime. think
that many Of the Italians, genuinely
homesick for the States" have a |
deeper feeling for East Side ragtime
han for the martial music that pre-
walls in sunny Italy. What is a bugle
call to one who has turned hand or.
gan? -. a-- -. ~: |
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