The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1919-01-09

munity is not impaired, out ratner
enhanced by travel and a wider
knowledge of the worlds affairs, that
I desire to use every advantage to
broaded myself in every way possible,
to form my own impressions and
ideas of European customs and prac-
tees, and that 1 have sought to gain
an insight into both the good and
bad sides of life.
And in this connection 1 will re-
peat what | said in my former letter,
that l still have a higher regard for
French moral standards than l enter
tanned prior to being in this country,
Notwithstanding what I have said
above. The people are honorable
above all things. They are fervently
religious and maintain their churches
with affectionate ardor. And at all
hours of the day citizens may be
seen vending their way to the cathe-
dray for their worship. It's true
that this worship is usually Catholic,
but / have an abiding faith in the
right kind of Catholic. who, in my
opinion, is in the vast majority, and
if some of our people so prejudiced
to Catholicism would search a little
deeper under the surface of things
and seek more authenticated infor-
nation 1 am inclined to believe they
would form a broader opinion, and I
am satisfied that if the average prot
estant followed the doctrines of his
religion as fully and lived up to the
teachings of Christ as closely as the
average Catholic we would have a
better world to-day. more permeated
with the spirit of brotherly love and
fairness to mankind. | am not a
Catholic. The women and girls dress
ed finely with beautiful, graceful
clothes, but considerably more mod
est than in the American cities, and
/ saw no such extreme styles as are
common in an American city. / was
not approached once by a girl with
any advances whatever, and that is
more than I can say of some Ameri-
can cities which I have found far
worse than Vichy along this line.
Not once did I witness the least dis
order in the saloons or gambling
houses, and during my five months in
France l have positively not seen but
one Frenchman who exhibited any
outward appearance of being under
the influence of liquor. According
" one is bound to get the idea that
there can be no compromise nor half
way settlement of the liquor ques->
ton, but the proper solution is either
q rigidly enforced ironclad bone dry
law or the wide open regulations of
European countries: On the streets
there was a marked evidence Of civic
pride and law and order, and l have
yet to see my first policeman in
France, though 1 was told that
Vichy's police force included six men.
How do you think an American city
Of $4,000 would conduct itself with
a police force of six men?
Since now l have pictured the
French people in the above terms,
perhaps some of your readers wish
to ask the question: IF in your
opinion France is SO good, and grand
and holy, would you prefer to go
there to select a wife?" My answer
would be unhesitatingiy "No." Then
possibly they might ask if l care to
live in this republic. Again my re-
ply would be an emphatic negative,
because / am an American. And to
use the o famous words of Steph-
en- Decatur, "Our country; In her
free intercourse with foreign nations
may she always be right, but right
or wrong, our> country But 1
merely express the opinion that
France is not as naughty as it's
cracked up to be.
One more issue OF The Herald, that
of Oct. Gath, has come to me since
my letter to you dated Oct. 1st, and
/ suppose it's needless to say that
this issue was read with all the zeal
and thrill that l imagine a fellow
realizes when he gets a letter from
his best girl. A few days ago 1 also
received several copies of Charleston,
Columbia and Augusta papers sent
to me from Bamberg and they were
a rare treat, and too acted as the
means of me meeting another South
Carolinian, which is likewise a rare
treat over here. was sitting IN
headquarters reading them when a
lieutenant walked in and with eyes
about as large as the moon in full