New-York tribune., 1920-07-26
A Traveller in Peril

Not the least of the perils of trav-
cling in a strange land is that of the
published "impression.' The mod
ern explorer may escape the depths
Of the raging sea and never come
face to face with Indians or sand
storm on the desert, yet he is indeed
fortunate if he avoids committing
himself to fantastic generalities
about the country into which he has
peeped.
The recollections of Hugh Walpole
recently published were shining
example of this peril lightheartedly
avoided. Mile. Jacquemaire Gle
menceau, daughter Of the "Tiger of
France" who has just returned from
visit to this country, has not been
so fortunate. The things she OBJ
served in a comparatively short So
journ, in a limited social circle, are
set down in her impressions in
"Fe1nina" as typical of the Ameri-
can people. Doubtless all the things
she noticed did actually occur; they
are the commonplaces of our humor-
Gus periodicals and the breath of life
to our reformers, but they are not
typical.
Take the club woman, for example.
For a generation we have permitted
ourselves to joke about her, it being
all in the family, and we'll knowing
that neither we nor our hearers took
our remarks seriously. But it
rankles to hear Mile. Clemenceau
record for all France to read "Her
clubs are as numerous, as important,
as rich and as carefully organized as
I those of the men. The members
4 often live at their clubs more than
at home, and arrange there meet
ings where national questions are ex-
amined, debated and judged. The
American family, which has appro-
priated to itself the term home and
rendered it almost sacred, neverthe-
less scarcely ever comes together as
whole in this home, though with a
sure instinct it has created every
where a setting full of charm and
favorable to long hours of intimacy,
to the development of tenderness and
of domestic ties"
A nation which has lived down the
charge that it ate mince pie for
breakfast. will feel no particular
rancor over the French visitors dis
covery that we are addicted to
oysters and turtle soup. "The cook
ing is generally good" this is more
than many travellers admit-"more
chicken than meat, more clear soups
than the heavier ones, more fruit
than fresh vegetables. A great use
of milk in cooking is noticeable.
Oysters and turtle soup are espe-
cially popular dishes. Great predi-
lection is shown for pastry. The
Americans do not eat much bread,
as every one knows, but seem to live
on cakes and ice cream (this is their
favorite delicacy), and nibble candies,
always detestable ones, all day.
They have just been stricken with
painful dispensation which they
support with impatience, but which,
after all, they do support-prohibi-
tion. They drink ice water, which is
to be found everywhere at hand on
turning spigot, even in their bed
rooms or on their trains"
The expense of running the luxu-
rious American home, and in particu-
lar the terrific wages paid the Amer
lean servant, receive great stress
/ from this visitor. Untold sums go
/ for food bills, she believes, and such
/ is the nervous strain of conducting
these complicated establishments that
much receiving is done in hotels. :"
Mile. Clemenceau tactfully puts it
down to the climate that "all the
women have gray hair at forty" but