Republican farmer., 1918-03-01
u. S. SOLDIERS
AMER|CAN|zE
French TOWNS
Rather Than Learn French
"Sammies" Teach Natives
TO Speak English,
NATIVE CHILDREN
ADORE u. S. BOYS
Show More Affection for
Kidlets Than Do Their
Own Parents

A Port in France, Feb. 2S-'Co
respondence of the Associated Press)
AS far as it is possible to Ameri-
canize any French city, this base of
the American armies has undergone
the process since the first troops ar
rived last June. Collectively it talks
English quite fluently-much more
so than the visitors speak French at
any rate-and it's shops have taken
: on an American air.
Likewise the months have Quilted
the exuberance that expressed itself
! in jammed and crowded streets and
/ cafes, noise and exhiliration at the
time of the arrival of the first Amer1-
| can troops. This in part can be laid
to the fact that about nine-tenths of
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 to spring
up have died of inanition.
| Scarcely a store now but faunts
its wares with tags and comments in
! English, and the storekeepers have
profited by the constant succession of
American customers to learn a fair
brand of English. Nine out 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 of the English of course is
ragged, and a compendium of the
signs displayed in the main street
shops would furnish an excellent
basis for a treatise on English as
she is written" There is for example
the House Taking Charge of Par
cells; Everyone get a received" which
lies adjacent to the store featuring a
model warmly clad in what the pro-
prietor fondly believes is a 'Tranchs
| Coat" Thus a large notion and
curio store, situated on a corner, has
painted both facades to represent a
double American flag. with a single
center piece containing the stars over
the door at the corner. The topmost
stripe on both sides bears the in
scription, Souvenirs, Don't Forget
| Her. Occasionally the advertise
ments don't say quite what was in
tended, even though they tell the
truth, as for instance the sign over
| a store which reads, Money Taker
Here
Such announcements as American
breakfasts, to 9 A. M" and "Ice
Cream" appeal.
The naval element is perhaps most
conspicuous by it's absence. In June
and July the streets swarmed with
| naval officers and sailors from the
battleships and cruisers that formed
part of each convoy.
More and more the city has come
under the vise-like control of the
American authorities. No resident
even may send a telegram to any point
in France without submitting it to q
local censorship that has been created
at the suggestion of the Americans
The censor is the local police COM
missioner and he passes on all French
messages that are not doubtful
Likewise his stamp is obligatory for
kilograms in English but he will not
WELD the stamp until the American
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 per
mission to leave, are necessary. The
kcivilian falls inevitably in;o 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.
Early last July the French, at the
suggestion of the Americans, laid
down exceptionally severe rules fol
the cafes, limiting to the lowest con-
ceiVabie 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 chance
in such way that drinking for the
soldiers is virtually out of the ques-
ton at any hour-even for those linn
tied few who are able to obtain passes
to come into the "out of bounds
portion of the city that comprises all
of the cafes.
The soldiers are on the whole In
) tensely popular with the inhabita nts
They are, for one thing, extremely
kind to the French children, which
strikes responsive chord in the
breasts of the mothers, particularly
since it is not a French male custom
to fondIe and make much of the
youngsters.
Then, too, number of the military
ores nizations have dubbed together
and have given entertainments fol-
French charities which not only have
: cited a. lot of money but which have
: been novel and interesting. The
latest of these was negro minstrel
} show which brought in over $500 fol
the war widows of the port.
!, The retirement of Trotzky has beer