The sun., 1918-08-04

tor and enlightenment concerning tins or
that matter in France, military, naval,
political, administrative or economic, they
knew that they could apply to the infor-
nation bureau of the High Commission
of France at the Vanderbilt Hotel in New
York, and that in response to their re-
quest all the necessary data OF an oih-
cially authentic nature would be at once
furnished to them.
Lausanne Qualified for Task.
Lausanne and knecht were partlru-
larlv we'll qualified for the task. Both
have seen good deal of active service
at the front in the present war during
the better part of two years. taking part
in the battle of the Marine and in most
of the fighting from the beginning Of
August, 1914, until the fall of 1916 Both
have IA perfect mastery of English. Laa-
zannc. who is the nephew, adopted son
and principal heir of the celebrated cor
respondent OF the London Times IN
France. O. de Blowitz, nicknamed 1.-THE
Ambassador of the Times" acquired his
remarkable knowledge of English while
representing his paper, the Paris Hatn,
in LONDON. having his headquarters in the
oflicc of the Thundcrrr. owing TO the IN
:crchangc of It's cable services and news
with the NdiiH. As for Marcel knccht.
he is, like that orator and French states
man Franklin Bouillon, chairman of the
-, E'nr,,rr Rnlntinn. nf tho
Chamber Of Deputies in Paris, Il graduate
Of the University of Cambridge.
Naturally advantage has been taken
Of their knowledge of English to
ask them to speak occasionally, usually
al private entertainments and ut educa
tional institutions But they have only
done this in response to pressing invita-
tions aud with Il certain amount OF re-
luctance, looking upon their mission pr
marty to keep authentic and semi official
news and information on tap, at the dis
posal of the American press, Of the
chambers of commerce, &c. They have
fulfilled their task with SO much efficiency
and above all with so much tact that they
imputation Of propagandism, even on the
part Of the foes OF France, and have be-
come so indispensable to the intimate iu-
tercoursc of this country with France that
movement has been started in America
to convert their bureau from a mere tenn
porarv war mission into a permanent in
stitution, TO be retained even after the
restoration of peace.
Great Britain's Representative.
Great Britain was quick TO follow the
example Of France in establishing an
official bureau of information in America,
with headquarters in New York. at oil
Fifth avenue, under the direction Of
Geoffrey Butler fellow and librarian Of
Corpus Christi College. Cambridge, lee
turer on international law and diplomacy
Of that university, president of its union
and incidentally monopoiizer of most OF
its honors in the year of his graduation
He, too, like his French colleagues.
Lausanne and Knecht, fulfils his task
with so much tact and such thorough un-
and prejudices that his bureau has be-
come Indispensable and like that of the
French should be maintained after the
war He has an able assistant in Henry
A. Goode, who is well qualified for the
work by the experience which he acquired
during residence Of several years in the
United States prior to the war
Quite recently the Italian Government
has started a bureau of information on
the same lines in New York under the
direction Of distinguished Roman jour
nalist, Baron Augusta Ferrero, assistant
editor Of La 7ri6una, one of the leading
organs of the Eternal City. These bu-
reaus should be encouraged, since every
thing calculated to spread knowledge in
America concerning those nations asso-
ciated with us in the present war cannot
fail to be of benefit to tbe people of the
tod