New-York tribune., 1919-03-22

By Alfred NJ. Brace

squlnt to blot out the present traffic and
summon up prison walls and gaunt faces
behind restraining bars. trip to the ion
of the Eiffel Tower-that would he an
other thing-for there at your feet would
stretch Paris off into the mist with Nom
martre, Notre Dame and the Pantheon in
the distance and the little barges Ike
line of ducks going down the Seine. Bu.
the Eiffel Tower is still closed to visitors
THE soldiers seem to appreciate what
we are trying to do for them" said Red
Cross guide who takes out seventy-fve mon
morning and afternoon, rain or Shine. on
walking trips. "They don't comment very
much or ask many questions as general
thing, and have comfortable feeling
that II make a slip here and there in
dates or kings it will not attract undue
attention. | think that they will all Get
something worth while to carry back with
them to America"
"What feature of French life will you
miss most in America ?" l asked doughbov
who was spending the last day of his sew
wo-hour leave in Paris
He thought a minute
Il think it will be the cafe terraces.
where you can sit at the tables on the side
walks and drink while YOU watch the
crowds go by. Of course" he added. "we'll
miss the beer and wine when we get
back, and guess they won't let a man
smoke except when he is with his mother
can see why they haven't got these out
door Gates on Broadway, where there isn't
enough room for pedestrians, but there
are less crowded streets uptown in New
York where there would be space for
tables and chairs and drinks-even soft
drinks And out in my town, Los Angeles,
where it's summer all the time, the side
walk cafe would work fine the whole wear
round"
The Los Angeles doughboy was express
ing what many other American soldiers
1eel who have slipped and watched the
crowds go by in unending variety on the
boulevards of Paris. 1t will be strange if
there are not many enterprisng Ameri-
cans at present in khaki on this side of
the Atlantic who have not already made
plans to introduce the sidewalk cafe in
their own towns in the United States when
they get back. For every American soldier
at one time or another in France has en-
Joyed the passing show from the terrace
table where he relaxed for a half hour
over cup Of coffee or a glass of wine.
with the sun occasionally breaking
through the clouds and the first fee1;ns
of spring in the air, the cafe terraces of tho
Paris boulevards are again filling up. and
the American soldier on leave gives de-
clded khaki tonal effect to the Cafa do 70
PaiX, the Grand and other boulevard cafss
Americans will miss these terraces whom
they return to America probably as much
as the refreshments that the proh;b;t;or.
lists have denied them.
Faris after four months of peace is still
on war basis, in spite Of continual com
plant on the part of both French and
foreigners. Cafes and restaurants close
Sharply at $3.50 and empty their patrons
ool ihto the boulevards. AT 10 O'Clock
streetcars and autobuses cease to run. and
at 1880 the trains of the subway svstem
make their last trip, leaving belatcd the
"'iesoers TO walk home in the rain or to
summit 10 orowbeatlng taxicab drivers The
pollce authorities give as one reason for
'he continued restrictions the presence of
thousands of French, American, British and
other Aimed soldiers in the capital They
point out that keeping order in wide
open Paris full of soldiers would be very
uHicult and prefer the easier method of
early closing before the visitor GETS his
stride into the joyous late hours of the
evening.
Whatever the reason, the thousands of