Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-05-07
EUROPEAN REPORTS
ARE ED|SCOURAG|NG
TO j. s. VISITORS
Prices Are Discriminatory
Against Americans-Con-
ditions Described.
BY DAVID LAwRENCE.

Disquieting reports have reached
cerning conditions in Europe that
should discourage American citizens
from going to the continent. These re-
ports have not been made public be-
cause the government here has al
ready been pressed from every side
to lift the restrictions on passports
and there is no reason why the Amer
lean government should court the
displeasure of those European coun-
tries which are eager to have Ameri-
can tourists come abroad to spend
their money.
The writer has obtained a 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 1t uncomfortable
to move around.
Foreign Conditions.
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 any one who needs care and
nourishment ought not to risk his or
her health in the central empires. The
Department of State is not issuing
passports to any of the central Eu-
ropean 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.
Shooting Prices Skywnrd.
Perhaps the most embarrassing
phase of the whole situation is the
way the Europeans are increasing
against Americans. This is most no
ticeable in Germany. where the sup
position that all Americans are
wealthy is the basis for higher prices
for meals or rooms or goods wanted
by the American traveller than the
Englishmen or Frenchman. It is not
an uncommon occurrence to find an
American paying fifty marks for
something which the Englishman is
asked forty marks and the French
man forty and possibly everybody
else only thirty.
Much of the same sort Of discrimi-
nation prevails in England and
France, though in both countries the
governments are doing their utmost
to keep it under control. They real
ize that American tourists will not
long submit to such discrimination,
and Europe is too anxious to have
Americans come abroad to spend their
money to carry the game too far. On
the other hand accommodations are
difficult to get. and the law of supply
and demand is to some extent re-
sponsible for the high rates being
charged.
Then, too, there is a common i'm
preston that every American who
comes abroad gets a lot of money
marks or francs or English pounds.
For many months Europe has suffered
from the effects of the unfavorable
rate Of foreign exchange in endeav-
oring to buy commodities in the
United States, and the American tour
ist is now paying some of that def
cit.
Dangers of "BI0winE Up."
Aside, however, from physical con-
dttions of travel with hotels crowded,
trains taxed to the very doors and
aisles. and good food scarce in many
parts of Europe, there are certain
dangers of a blow-up that may any
day cause American tourists incon-
venience.
Nobody can fortell the future, but
the number of strikes and industrial
Americans who went from Paris to a
seaport town to get their ship for
America found a dock strike. and in
asmuch as the sailing of the vessel
was postponed. they pleaded with the
steamship officials to let them board
the ship. There were absolutely no
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