El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-05-31
D9UGHB1Y on LEAVE I'M FRANCE
IS MILLIONAIRE FOR TWO weeks
Travels to Historic and Beautiful Places Stays at the
Best Hotels and Dimes on the Very Best at Uncle
Sans Expense; Dances With the "Y' Girls
From Home and the Pretty Maids Of France

Darts. France. Nay sL-Despite
l passport restrictions. more than
100000 American citizens have toured
France for pleasure during the last
two years. They have gazed upon
her historic mountains. danced and
flirted with her beautiful women.
mangled her language and luxuriated
In her best hotels. Just as thousands
Of wealthy or welltodo Americans did
annually before he war. But all Of
these recent tourists have been mem
beers Of the American eXpeditionary
force, travelling AZ government ex-
pense.
The order allowing sammies on
leave TO tour France was issued a
long time ago, but = was not posi-
BE 10 grant leave regularly while
the war was on Since the fighting
ended, however, thousands Of Ameri-
can soldiers have been zen tour all
the time and some Of these tourist
soldiers have returned TO this coun-
try TO tell about t.
Has is Days Leave.
Theoretically, the travelling sammy
has only seven days Of leave. but he
mas travelling time in addition, and
since the armistice, this has been
stretched SO that the average tour
lasts for about is days. During this
period the soldier often travels sew
eral thousand miles and gets a fine
opportunity to exercise his American
penchant for sight seeing. He puts
up at the best hotels. eats the best
food il France. is treated everywhere
with extreme courtesy, and spends
All the money he can get hold or In
a word he is a millionaire for a day.
Sammie Travels Free.
When he starts out on one OF these
expeditions. the dOughbov Is assigned
a travelling pass which calls for free
transportation, meals and lodging. HIS
destination is one Of the big towns OF
the leave areas" but he usually
manages TO stop off wherever he finds
anything that interests him. When
ne gets TO leave area town. he reg
listers at the station with the Ameri-
can railroad transportation officer.
who directs him 10 the officer in
charge The latter assigns him 10 2
hotel. and tells him how long he can
stay in town The rest IS up to him.
Some Of the hotels IN these towns
are devoted exclusively to the enter
talnmenr OF American soldiers. while
others have also civilian guests. Some
OF the American soldiers are bineted
IN private French homes. Commits
stoned OFFICERS may take the trip. but
Ihey must pay their own EXPENSES
These amount TO from $500 to $500.
Here is first hand unofficial re-
FORT OF one Of these tours OF France
by regimental sergeant Of the Amer
lean expeditionary force
Couldn't Find Joan.
with seven pals. 7 started out
from camp at Atelier de Mehunsur-
4evre, about 100 miles from Paris.
OUT luggage consisted Of some toilet
articles and a few francs each. Our
first stop was at Orleans. where we
nad supper at Red Cross house andi
Arc We didn't find her. but we saw
ana heard a great deal about her.
In Gay Paris
Next cay we set out for Paris and
made the trip in about four hours
II happened 70 be New Years eve. and
y was probably the liveliest View
ear eve Paris ever witnessed The
city was filled with soldiers Of every
{ llieu nation We went TO see zig
Tag at one OF the faEous theaters. J
ana here the flags OF all the allies
were anundantlv displayed Every
person in the audience had flag. and
me enthusiasm was AZ high pitch
al during the show a young Scotch {
soldier became so excited when he
heard the hagnipes that ne iumned
from the balcony onto the stage Dur
Ing the last act. the Australians. 500 I
strong. marched unon the stage and
started to dance with the chorus Girls. I
This brought the show TO an abrupt [
end.
@Proize- hut Hanpy.
We left Paris the next dav. an
hour after president Wilson's train I
pulled out for Italy. Our funds were /
bout nanlatel- -rlnr he line Ne Eaa