The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1919-09-27
FRENCH THINK
AMERICAN NEGRO
MANLY AND POLITE
NEGRO'S POLITE MANNER AND
COURAGEOUS CONDUCT WON
HEARTS OF FRENCH.

Baltimore, Md, 25.--There appeared
in a recent issue of the Baltimore,
(MD) Sun, the following article
written by Jean Boileau. a French
man, in which he vigorously defends
his countrywomen for their Deep
Affection for Colored Americans"
"Sir-I should prefer to remain
silent on the question of the COM
parative merits of the American and
the French girls. But since so much
is being said in your Forum favor
able and unfavorable of the girls of
France, | beg to state what /, and
thousands of other Frenchmen be-
lieve to be the main cause of all
this hostile criticism of the women
of my native land.
"The main cause of the criticism
is found in a letter to your Forum
of the 9Th instant signed by ALLEN
p. Sadtler." Your correspondent un-
Willingly S'gives the game away
when he says that "the good French
girls love Negroes" This fact of
French .women's love for American
Negroes is the tarproot of the un-
favorable comments made by white
Americans against French women.
French women were urged not to
mingle with Colored American sol
diers. They were told many awe
inspiring tales about Negro soldiers
as q whole. But their social exper-
ience with these men Of Color abso-
lutely failed 20 verify the many
stories which had been pouring into
their ears. A brief social contact
with the American Negro soon caused
all fear to vanish like stain of
vapor upon a mirror But had the
women Of my country fallen. victims
to his subtle and extensive propa-
ganda launched in France by white
Americans against Colored Ameri-
cans; had they allowed their souls
to be filled with what is known in
they drawn the color line" and re-
fused to open their doors. their arms
and their hearts to the Americans
of ebony hue they would probably
have been exalted to the sky as being
among the best and most worthy
girls on earth.
But no! French women do not
measure men according to the color
of their skin. A white skin Is not
an essential attribute of French So
ciety' or French citizenship. French
women are criticised because of their
love for Colored soldiers. But why
should they hate Negroes as such?
Or why should they even ignore
them for no other than their Color
The Negroes very polite, sincere
manner, their exemplary conduct
among the rFench civilians and their
reckless, brave and courageous con-
duct on the firing line won the hearts
not only of the French women, but
also of the French people as a whole.
These brown skin sons of America
were conceded to be the most lovaDle
of all foreign soldiers on French
soil If French girls are to be re-
garded as unworthy because their
affections for these men of color,
then the French people as a whole
must for the same reason be deemed
unworthy.
The French people do not discrim-
mate against their own colonials on
account of their color. They honor
and respect them. 1t was the mighty
Senegalese who saved the day for
their beloved France in the first bat
tie of the Marne. And France is
not ashamed to acknowledge her
Indebtedness to these conquering
sons of Africa. The French girls
would regard as unreasonable any
criticism against them because OF
! their social welcome they extend to
their colonials. Likewise. they can
not see the reason or sense Of any
their widely known hearty attachment
, to American Negroes.
AS compared with this fault" OF
having deep affection for Colored
Americans all other faults of French
women sink into signifance. If the
American people as a whole knew
the fritless efforts of these very ones
who are finding fault with French
lgirls, to prejudice their minds againsi