The New York herald., 1920-01-04
[ tCopWight, 1920, by the Ne,o York Herald
Company--4H Rights Rescrred.l
PARIS. December l9.

Compdny--AH lights ReScrred.
FL PARIS. December 10.
What are the young women thinking
about?" is question that is being asked
and answered in the columns Of both
French and American newspapers since
the young girls of both countries have
been released from their wartime activi-
ties. In America it is writer's on sociologi-
cal topics and college professors who are
France (and the difference is Significantly
IL is the priest and the palmist whom the
reporter seeks out for interviews touching
on their observations II young women.
Evidently. the French "jeune file" would
be frightened into silence by the statisti-
cal method of the social inves tigator" Z"
whereas she would seek out of her own
accord the traditional oracles OF Catholic
countries, the priest and the chiromancer
The Able Mugnief, who is reputed to be
responsible for the conversion of the
writer Huysmanns to Catholicism. gives
his opinions on tho changed outlook OF
French girls since the war. NJ. rAbbe
thinks that this change is a good one, on
the whole and he calls attention to the
qualities OF courage, endurance and deci-
young women, who spent their days by the
bedside of the sick and wounded. and he
makes "a very human plea for patience
with the modern girl who is now finding
some difficulty in adapting herself to the
'seeiusion of home and its state of tor
por,' after life more vivid, active and
free" than she has ever enjoyed before
The genial priest calls attention TO the
fact that after all upheavals there follows
a difficult period OF readjustmcnt. and re-
marks.-"Doubtless after the deluge there
was great deal OF 'tangage.' not to say
tango, (the French word tangage mean
ing Instability.
on being asked If he did not find the
demeanor Of the French girl much altered
since the war, VI. rAbbc replied that he
did, and that this change was a matter
OF regret, since it consisted in some-
what unbecoming freedom of langus ge
and dress. But again the priest was OPP
timistic and ventured the opinion that
beforo long the well brought up French
jeune file would drop her newly acquired
II should worrq' for the former decorous
III viii come out all right" and "Suf-
ficient unto the day Is the evil thereof"
And this kindly champion of the modern
girl reminds the interviewer that IL young
women have lost their wonted shyness.
they have gained an unwonted courage
and that they are. consequently, more
genuine and less hypocrtical.
AS to the alterations In their ambitions,
tho Ahbe Mugnier believes that most
young women. no matter what their sta
ton In life, now give more Of their time
TO some sort OF work, and he finds in
them more widespread desire to culti-
Vate themselves and to prepare them
selves FOR profession or for some mode
OF earning their living. The American
observer Is tempted to comment that even
" the young women of the present gem
GRAFTON were not inclined in this direction
they would have to make a virtue Of
necessity. for there is a dearth OF mar
rlagoab bic mon in France today.
NJ. rAbbc laments the abuse Of the
dance tFrancc is now in the clutches of
q veritablo orgy OF dancing). but he
pleads That after five years or suffering.
sef-denial and unremltting work the ma
uon Is perhaps in need OF vacation -
as ne oharitably put IL. He also spoke
OF the rogrettable increase OF divorces
which he attributed to the ''snap-shot'
marriages Of the war When the inter-
viewer suggested that this phenomenon
might be tho outcome of the emanoipated
views OF young women, the priest dis
sented and expressed the conviction that
inc young women or France were not so
altered as they seemed. They still dream
OF homo and OF husband aud children.
IL takes moro than q war 20 alter tho
eternal feminine" maintained tho genial
Able
Nine trayo, the paimist had been con-