New-York tribune., 1919-02-17
Regret That Profiteering of
Small Shopkeepers Has
Incensed American Army
Don't Condemn AL Plea
Observe Cordial Treatment
bv Germans; I'VE, Too.
We're Victims They Say
Ne,c York Tribune
C,or,1f T,GI- N~,,..~o

Special Cable Scri'ice
,roDv-iSht iais VIEW York Tribune Inc)
PARIS. Feb. l6-There is serious
and growing perturbation among
F-enchmen as to the state Of mind
hundreds of thousands Of returning
Americans find themselves in with re
card 10 France They foresee that at
time when France needs friends
more than ever in her history the very
men who should aid her most power
sullv in the United States-the army
that has fought on her soil-are going
home in q state OF irritation which
hodes i'll for the spreading of good
impression Of France in their own
land.
There IS no denying the American
feeling. 1t is also very clear that it
has been sharply accentuated since the
signing OF the armstice and the occu-
patton Of certain German territory by
he Americans. In that territory the
Americans are we'll treated Germans
sverywhers have named committees
whose business IL is to see that the
greed Of the small shopkeeper is kept
within bounds
No more subtle propaganda could
have been devised, for it was precise
ly the greed Of the French small shop
keeper which irritated and is still ir-
-itating the American soldiers. To put
It in a few words, the American COM
plaint is:
We came over to fight for France
We have fought and done our best for
France. and in return we have been
exploited by rapacious folk who saw
in Us only source Ct dollars"
Germans Catered to Invaders
In Germany it IS "reverse English"
The doushboy says:
Notwithstanding the fact that !
fought against them, they have made
me welcome. and have sold me what
hey had TO sell without extortlng the
uttsrmos- cent"
To all OF which the French reply.
and with reason, that after years of
var they have found themselves SO
drained of all tnat makes life worth
living they could not do for their
honorec guests what otherwise they
you'd have loved TO do: that the ra-
7acOus class Of small traders exist not
alone IN France. that the French them
selves have suffered from this class
zen times more than the Americans.
snd that i would be cruelty unjust
to condemn the entire French nation
TOT the faults OF a small section of
me population which Was brought into
undue prominence by reason of the
war
French Suffer Same Troubles
Thus We have on the one hand Amer
can irritation and on the other the
ieeilng Of the French that certain
special results Of an exhausting strug-
gle have been unjustly set down as
NATIONAL characteristics. The irrita-
Ion OF the American soldier is nat
4fs.' Dat ne Is wrong In his refusal
% believe that the French themselves
are ten times more the victims OF the
eirclmstances Of which he complains,
-nle less able than he to bear them.
4oe frencnmans : sense Of Injustice is
cute natural. TOO. but It is time he
ssid 70 the American:
Know tcat a certain unworthy
0aas mas preyed upon you. am
5'lry. don't ask YOU 70 forget, but
20 ask -nst you remember first Of
al thai Fraace was forced to fling
a'o the abyss Of war hundreds OF
'aousaads o. her sons and the travail
and tears of her women. I ask you to
.9mpare tHe money you have .ost with
.ae billions she has expended. urge
nat when you return 20 your home,
snlen mas been untouched by the war
fuln "nicn suffering France has
1o~n through tour years, you leave
as generous spirit az you came
Tried TO Halt Prohteering
Captain Andre Tardieu in an inter
rev to-oay spoke of co-American
eaalrs WIN sym patny and clarity. His
eOmmen.a were all directed 70 an
explanation OF the economic and
psyeaolog cal reasons for the cond-
.9ns wnlcn, he sad, many Americans
Aistazeniy consider affect only them
ssez, lie pointed cut that since the
ss'1"ai 81 the American army the
..lencn government has helped in all
~nsl'can pLrcnases. which has resulted
~ t tHe saFlng Of hundreds Of millions of
s.Oa'sfS, a fac that General Dawes, the
~aerican caief purchasing officer, and
''Ies authorities fully recognize.
negarcing Individual purchases,
.1ap'sin lardieu called attention TO
s posting of official statements Of
sa'ess ~ wherever American troops are
..-no. and SAID that General Pershing
so been requested 10 appoint an
.ncer for every American battalion
"alea icr infringe In Paris
.s1ee American officers. ia liaison with
prefecture of police. handle all
@Ip'a MS VI oycrcnarglng.
nv. me American garrison IN Paris ag-
sAled until recently 5000 men.
sss asS nUmDer is beng reduced 70 Ia
-" aNhougn rransIents on leave swell
'otal corSiderab!y
,..sss french aided the Americans to
ss.%n The Hotel du Louvre, where 400
Tsssss may be accommodated Captain
r. su also referred TO the passage
1s french Parliament Of IL ORA
Ian against profteers.
opendthrifts Come From Front
3a regard to price levels throughout
n the man factors contributing
u ,ss IN terrible Increase IN the cost
s.. .nslng are lack Of transport and the
sa~ " coal, botn If whlch press far
49,, nsayiiy upoa the French than
g1s,s. She Americans. IN the three large
,tsS,s' NOTABLY Paris, that spendthrift
sst 'oh .1'oh Tor wnlcn the Americans we're
sss< "aShs fe>ponslDle has been erected
81 Psychological fact.
1 Cs,ses French soldier began it." said
fss. f~-n Iafdisu "a younvgtcr, after
VII MsontnE al the front, found him
sad 10 10 couple of thousand francs
4 ali eays' leave in Paris. He spent
ss - nsseklessly, knowing that he ro}0ht