Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-05-08
AMERICANS FIND It
DIFFICULT To NOW:
AND FIND QUARTERS
Fever Raging in Some Coun-
tries and Food Hard to Get,
France and England in
Best Shape
By DAVID LAWRENCE


States government concerning con-
ditions in Europe that should dis
courage American citizens from 60
ing to the continent. These reports
have not been made public because
the government here has already been
pressed from every side to lift the
restrictions on passports and there is
no reason why the American govern
ment should court. the displeasure Of
those European countries which are
eager to have American tourists come
abroad to spend their money.
The writer has obtained survey
of conditions in Europe as revealed
in official reports and while France
and England are much better off than
other countries, nevertheless trans
portation facilities everywhere are
crowded to the limit and American
tourists are finding it uncomfortable
to move around.
Fortunately France and England
are not in as bad shape as eastern
and southern Poland and parts of
Germany. Typhoid fever, and spotted
fever have come over the borders OF
soviet Russia into Poland and while
the Poles are striving hard to care
for these patients, there are difficult
ties galore in handling the situation.
Food in Germany is hardly of the
best and anyone who needs care and
nourishment ought not to risk his
or her health in the central empires.
Discrimination Charged
The department Of state is not is
suing passports to any of the central
European countries, but at the same
time there is no restriction upon
Americans going into Germany when
once they are in France or England
Or Belgium.
Perhaps the most embarrassing
phase Of the whole situation is the
way the Europeans are increasing
their prices and discriminating
against. Americans. -ss----s--
This is most noticeable in Ger
many. where the supposition that all
Americans are wealthy is the OASIS
for higher prices for meals or rooms
or goods wanted by the American
traveller than the Englishman or
Frenchman. It is not an uncommon
occurrence to find an American pay
ing so marks for something Whlch
the Englishman is, asked 40 marks
and the F'renchman 40 and possibly
everybody else only 80.
Much of the same sort Of d1scrlm-
nation prevails in England ana
France though in both countries the
governments are doing their utmost
to keep it under control.
Law of Supply and Demand
They realize that American tour.
lists will not long submit to such
discrimination and Europe is too
,.nxious to have Americans come
abroad to spend their money to carry
the game too far. On the othe1
hand. accommodations are difficult
to get and the law of supply and
demand is to some extent response
hle for the high rates being charged
Then, too, there is common I'M
preston that every American who
comes abroad gets lot of money
when he changes his dollars into
marks or francs or English pounds
For many months Europe has suf-
fered from the effects of the unfa-
yorable rate of foreign exchange III
endeavoring to buy commodities in
the United States, and the American
tourist is now paying some of that
deficit.
Aside, however, from physical con-
ditions of travel with hotels crowd
ed, trains taxed to the very doors
and aisles, and good food scarce in
many parts of Europe, there are GER
tain dangers of blow-up that may
any day cause American tourists in
convenience Nobody can foretell
the future but the number OF strikes
and industrial disturbances is in
ereasing. In one case Americans
who went from Paris to seaport
town to get their ship for America
found a dock strike and inasmuch
as the sailing of the vessel was
postponed they pleaded with the
steamship officials to let them board
the ship. =
Wartime Inconvenience
There were, absolutely no accom-
modations in the hotels Of the little
town. Many Americans are said to
have walked the streets all night in
a vain effort to find lodging. The
usual red tape prevented relief from
Paris. Somebody with discretion
enough to permit the Americans tc
live on board the ship while it wait
ed for the strike to end would have
saved the prospective passengers
who had already paid for their pas
sage-no end Of trouble.
Industrial conditions in England
are the most battling of all. Some
reports indicate that England is ap
parently sitting On a powder keG
and that almost any day it would
not be surprising to find that radi
cal labor had gotten out cfl hand anC
decided to run the country. On tn,
other hand, England's success thus
far in handling the railway strike il
the basis Of widespread optimism
and confidence on the part of an
other set of observers.
European countries probably d.
not like to have the American pub
lie told that travel over there is diff
ficult and at times distressing, bu
the truth is conditions are far from
normal and that Americans who g
abroad can hardly expect to see mucl