The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-03-06
AMERICANIzING FRANCE.
The Changes That Have Taken Place; :
in the Port Used by the Americans
i'm France. a., -.

Eort In france, Jan. 81 (Corre-
spondence of The Associated Press)---.
AS far as 1t is possible to American
ize any French city. this base of the
American armies has undergone the
process since the first troops arrived
last June. Collectively it talks
English quite fiuently-much more SO
than the visitors speak French at any
rate-and it's shops have taken on am
American air. e.
Likewise the months have oujeted
the exuberance that expressed itself
In Jammed and crowded streets and
cafes, noise and exhiliration at the
time of the arrival of the first Amer,
lean troops. This in part can be laid
to the fact that about ine-tentf1s ,,s
the city has been placed "out of
bounds" for all not equipped with
special passes; SO that the dives
and other undesirable establishments
that at one time threatened 20 spring
up have died of inanition. - So
Scarcely store now but fiaunts it's
ware with tags and comments In Eng
lish, and the store keepers have pro-
flied by the constant succession of
American customers: to learn a fair
brand Of English. Nine4out of ten of
them at least are able to conduct a
sale in English, while not one OF ten
Of the customers could get what he
wanted If he had to rely on French.
Some~o the English of course. is
ragged, and a compendium of the
signs displayed in the. maimss street
shops would furnish an excellent basis
for treatise on English as she Is
written" There is for example, the
House Taking Charge Of Parcels:
Everyone get a received" whfch lies
adjacent to the store featuring g. mod
ell warmly clad in what the proprietor
fondly believes is "Ttanchs Coat"
Thus a large notion and >curio store.
situated on a corner, has painted both /.
'facades to represent a double Amer.
lean flag, with a single centerpiece
containing the stars over the door at
the corner. The topmost stripe :on
both sides bears the inscription, "Sou-
venirs, Don't Forget Her" Occasion
ally the advertisements don't say
quite what was intended, even though
they tell the truth, as for instance the
sign over a store which reads, Money
Taken Here" -'r~ C.
Such announcements as American
Breakfasts. to 9 A. NJ" and sIce
Cream" appeal ~ 9-scT
The naval element is perhaps most
conspicuous by it's absence. In June
md July the streets swarmed with ma
val officers and sailors from the bat
tieships and cruisers that -formedspHrss
of each convoy. t 80 d.
More and more the city has come
under the vice-like control Of the
American authorities. No, resident
even may send a telegram to any
point in France without submitting It
to local censorship that has been !
created at the suggestion of the Amer
leans. The censor is the local police
commissioner and he passes on all
French messages that are not doubt-
full. Likewise his stamp is obligatory
for telegram in English, but he will
not WELD the stamp until the Ameri-
can authorities have passed upon the
matter.
No single individual leaves the city
by train without submitting to. an ex.
animation. Papers Of identification.
in many cases written official permis-
sion to leave, are necessary. The
civilian falls inevitably into the hands
Of the jealous French who are CO.
operating with the Americans. while
the man in uniform, especially the
American khaki wearers, are handled
by our military police.
Ealy last July the French, at the
suggestion of the Americans, laid
NS"h SNSOptAOhdtiy ScNCTc TUleS IOT
the cafes. limiting to the lowest con-
ceivable point-for France--the hours
during which men in uniform might
be allowed in all public houses. ).
Later in the summer the French
government issued rules governing the
sale Of spirituous liquors for all
France. The two combine by ehancs
in such a way that drinking for the
soldiers is virtually out of the ques.
ton at any hour-even for those e.
limited few who are able TO obtain
passes to come into the "out of
bounds portion Of the city that COM
prises all Of the cafes, r
The soldiers are on the whole. in