Greenwood daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1919-1926, 1919-11-18
ARE FARING
ALL THE PIONEERS
Is Report On The American Soldiers
Who Remained In France To
Try Their Fortunes.
Associated Press

PARIS, Nov. 1S-Several thousand
discharged American soldiers who re-
mained in France to try their fortunes
are faring as must fare all pioneers.
A few have become reasonably veal
thy. Some are reporting progress"
The majority, however, like their fa-
theirs before them in the United
States, are trudging on life's way,
over or around obstacles, with their
carts hitched to stars that are flying
rather lower than they were when the
young men set out to "Americanlze
France"
Most of the men really are pioneers
because they are striking out for
themselves, along new lines. AS yet
there is no organization to put these
men in contact with their fellows for
the exchange of ideas and experiences.
Nearly nine thousand American
Expeditionary Force men were releas-
ed here and it is estimated a fourth
of these have settled down to work
here The others are visiting, sight
seeing or having gone home after a
discouraging look at business pros
poets.
Of the two thousand or so who are
hard after French francs according
to American business men here who
know about the new ventures, several
hundred found employment with large
concerns, chiefly American firms pre-
pairing to do business in the devastat-
ed regions Another group took var
ious small places to pay their way
while studying. The majority of the
men, it was said, started to make good
by capitalizing American methods.
Very many saw what they considered
defects in French life and made ready
to furnish the supply, and, if neces-
sary, create the demand.
Most of them agree that easy
money is not one of the natural re-
sources of France but a few have
proved that it is: A negro made 1885,
900 francs buying and selling army
and navy supplies at Brest- His case
is vouched for by well-known Am
erican commercial executive
The most striking success reported
is that of "The Fox Trot Kings of
Paris,' as they term themselves,
Gerald Kiley, who drove the Chicago
Press Club ambulance, and Harold
wheel of one of Mrs. w. X. Wander
bilt's ambulances and later went to
the front.
Kiley and Fitch, the former said.
got their start over here when the
wife of an American banker in bus
mess here pressed 500 francs on u.s.
when they played in three-man jazz
band at dance she gave. They or
ganized Wilson Welcome ball at
leading hotel when the President ar
rived in, Paris and netted more than
10000 francs on the aft air. This sue
cess, they said, they often duplicated
at 'The Dixie Club dances they or
ganized with an admis sion charge of
20 francs person.
Knowing that "goo9 things" must
not be overworked, the men took over
the ice-cream equipment of the Y. M.
C. A., which has capacity of thou
sand gallons an hodr and late in Oc-
tober began wholesalir lg "Dixie Ice
Cream" cutting the m arket price fif-
ty to a hundred per cent. They in
vested 100000 francs in the venture.
Some of the most I'M teresting of the
American business exl ,eriences here
are those of men who I narried French
girls. Three of these ar farming east
Paris, making more mt ,ney than they
ever thought possible in the United
States" their business advisor said.
One man married into a dairy shop.
Another returned to h is trade of tail
oring in the same way. Scores of Am
erican boys are in business with
French fathers-in-law..
Rebuilt typewrit srs, familiar to
Americans, have bet N introduced to
the French by Lieu tenant ]. L. Nc
Cam, of Tuscaloosa, Ala, and George
E. Howard. of Pass pdena, Cal Theil
difficulty is too mi lch business. With
typical aggressive1 nexs they are buy.
ing American use 4 machines from
French dealers to sell to other French
dealers. Meantime ! Howard said, thel
are preparing to open @eThe American
Stenographic TSu feau" because, hi
said, an Americ :al business man is W
q blind alley try ing to find publ.
stenographer a to get out his cor
respondence VI en- an English spok
en-" variety em BE located.
1sadore. CIR .rt who was . paper
hanger bof8 set himself up in tn
deccreting = lsiness in fashionabl
suburb.
1isuter lnr t stevens & Tyler. Q
Aeahphs 5 egan a N uaport and ex
port 6 Ns1n but became merchandis
hlelEeEk q awaiting shipping fstili
I'll ! aors liIaEiity With +