Evening star., 1920-03-14
PARIS, March 4. 1920.
THEY arrive, forerunnerS of the
coming tourist tidal wave

"\HEY arrive, forerunnerS of the
coming tourist tidal wave
American women of the usual
tourist categories. and the
new. the followers in buddy's foot
steps and the visitors to soldiers
graves.
They are new innocents abroad, the
seekers of our camps of front and
rear. the pilgrims of the spots: they
would not venture it, but that they
know the land so we'll from soldiers
"reminiscences.
They are as likely as not to arrive
in Paris after dark. according to the
vagarieS OF the boat train. IA little
shaky on their land legs and discon
certed from the wreStle with their
baggage and their first glimpse OF
strange. babbling Paris. They are for
tunate. indeed. if they are booked for
the American Women's Club. that
new and important institution. The
American ambassadors wife is hon
orary president.
We hear their questions everywhere
in Paris.
At the club you also hear them
answered.
Our baggage is at the station:
what should we do about it" We
understand that the police want to
see us: do you know what for" Should
We go to the American passport Of
flee first and then to the police" Win
you go with u.s. Where can buy
hairpins and darning cotton What
shall ! do with my laundry: II |
leave my shoes outside the door at
night will they be polished" Can you
drink the water from the Paris
faucets" We want to see the sights
of Paris in two days"
1t is organized to answer every
thing--the clubs informatip ion It is
situated in the former barroom of
the former Hotel st. Petersburg,
which is itself entirely taken over.
IT was one of the tourist hotels be-
fore the war at 3S Rue Caumartin.
Just off the Paris boulevard. During
the American military campaign it
became the foremost hostess house
of the y. W. c. \. Now it is some
thins really extraordinary--a hotel
with 100 heated bedrooms for tran
silent American women (women only.
and exclusively American) and recog-
nized. upheld and used for their own
purposes by the best elements of
the permanent American colony. not
only as a "oman's hotel. but a con-
venlent American center worthy of
the name-as will appear. Meanwhile
1t is an historical hight-it might be
entitled prohibition in Par;s"-to
see the former jocund bar. with brass
footrai1 still in place, become a
region of mild calm and serene air.
The only agitation is that of inquiry.
the only thirst is thirst for knowl-
edge.
We have three days to do the
battlefields. / may decide to stay in
PARIS several months. and if I do l
want you to get me cheap pension
within block of the club. with ba tn
and heat. ] want sunny room. And
II L stay who can you recommend to
teach me French in three months?
is eXchange going up or down? Will
the dollar reach Is francs? If it goes
down will it drop suddenly? Where
is a cheap American dentist l want
a homeopathic physician. too. for my
stomach is still upset from the voy-
age
Along with these lively ones are
dear old ladies who tell quietly how
they lost their sons in the Argonne.
Nothing but love could have set them
on the long and perilous Journey into
strange land and among strange
people. Where is the cemetery, and
how can they get there. right away,
this morning? Do you think they will
let US take the bodies back, and
where do they sell caskets?
tematized activity. on the one side.
OF French girl interpreter-searche
accompanying tourists to rescue their
baggage and get into the right trains.
on the other. of club secretaries guild
ing parties to the graves registration
bureau and the Red Cross. where they
find the location of the graves. which
they have come 5000 miles to see and
where their exact trip is planned for
them. to and from the cemetery. The
Y. w. c. A.. it should be noted in
passing. maintains rest houses (veri-
table little hotels, all brand-new)
Just outside each of the American
cemeteries. for relatives and bona
f1de personal visitors. Later in the
day they are taken to the American
passport bureau and the prefecture
of police. And. besides, each has her
own particular quest-and all insist
on walking-"for the exercise" Now,
Paris is undoubtedly a grand place to
walk-but it wastes time. when you
are limited. The most hazardous in
sist that they can walk around per-
fectly well by themselves. but as they
are not familiar with single land
mark-not even the Madeleine. opera.
and Tuileries gardens, which used to
be the stand-bys of the American
NJ. P.'s)-it is difficult to direct them.
Try the metro? Law. no. Nothing on
earth couldn't hire me to get into one
of them things. If I did ego down.
where would 1 come up: Our sol
diers. for their convenience. had NJ.
P.s stationed scientifically along the
routes to all the sights.
:: i. ::
Mingling with such seekers. l will
not deny it, are entire categories of
American women patronizing the
club. more numerous in their en-
semble, who know their way about
perfectly. They are woman tourists,
business and professional women.
welfare workers. artistes, artists.
writer's doctors, nurses, interior dec
orators. buyers from New York. etc.
and women sent over to study the
fashions in hats and gowns. 1t is the
Paris stopping place for the relief
units of the near east, the recon-
struction workers with the Wellesley
College unit, the Methodist unit. the
Smith College unit. the American
committee for devastated France.
etc.
And G speak this By permission.
and not of commandmenO there seems
to be a new thing in the world.
I. The permanent American colony
Of Paris, formerly classed as alb
sentees, none too American. seems
lined up around the club as If in
simple joy of being just American:
.. The business men. the bankers,
the commission houses. international
law firms, representatives abroad
etc. have, quite visibly, become part
of the colony and undeniable enthu-
siasts fthe club. After eating
lunch four days consecutively in the
great dining room open to Ar erican
men perhaps the best known interna-