The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-07-15
Lieut.. Vincent de Wierzbicki
MoNG the many delightful traits

A MoNG the many delightful trait' | A\ of French character which Amer = cans have come to know and ad- | mire since the late world war, when | we have come into a closer relationship
 and friendship with the French people thar ever before, is the absolute lack Of side
 | With this in mind, anticipated with es- pecial pleasure the talk that had been arranged for me with Lieut. Vincent de Wierzbicki, the official representative Of the French government during the Rain 1 bow division reunion here.
 Lieut.. de Wierzbicki like all polished and cultured Frenchmen, speaks English fluently and beautifully, and in his case it is not matter of surprise, since his profession is that of linguist, before the war his calling being that of pro- lessor and lecturer in the great French universities and colleges, and his words fall so "trippingly from the tongue that although being French born and bred, one stops for a moment to wonder II ne has not spent a great deal of his time Tn England and America, having acquired the language so perfectly.
 In his horizon blue uniform and scar let cap, which we used so often to see dotted about in the crowds during the war days, when the French military men were visitors to America, Lieut.. de Wler- zbicki has been a picturesque hgure during the Rainbow division reunion here , his straight military bearing and gracious urbane manner being noticeable and at- tracting attention in the vast crowds When I commented upon the fact that the horizon blue uniform and the scarlet cap of the French military was a peau- tiful spot of color in so many kahkl- clad and "citizen-clothed' men, the lieu t1y h hripbt hle eyes tWlnk-
 ling, and said:
 Although | was beyond the age wnes. my country was involved in war, at once offered my services, and being pro ficient in. the French language, was used as interpreter, being attached 10 the British army for two years Tn tnis ca apacity During that. time my blue unl- form was the one spot of color in mass of 10000 khaki-clad Britishers, ana I must admit, madame, that l was pil spoiled"
 "Of course, I knew English as well as did French" the lieutenant went on to
 say. "for I have crossed the Atiantc 'o
 America thirty-nine times, ana am coi'-
 yersant with the manners and the cus- feYos of America, as well with my
 English and Italian neighhors. But It
 was ouring the war and since then, Tn
 the capacity of representative of the
 French high commission as lecturer
 that I have grown to know America pet
 ter and more intimately. Until recently
 at Washington my headduarters nave
 been established, and now in New fork'
 and my lecture tour has included ad-
 dresses to the number of Al in thirty =
 seven different states, and the District or
 Columbia, making thirty-eight.'
 During the two years that l was at-
 tached to the British army | had the
 opportunity of knowing and appreciatins
 my British neighbors,' Lieut.. de W1erz-
 bicki said, and I should like just here 10
 comment upon the fact that the British
 are not appreciated in America as fuiiy
 as they should be. They are not
 showy people; indeed, they are cold ana
 not giving. but scratch beneath the sur
 face and you find deep, beautiful-hearted
 men. I am a great lover and admirer
 of the British, and would like to kno"
 that America feels the same way Amer
 jeans think too much of 1776 and lSlZ. Ills
 tory is filled with many of lH6s ana
 1s12's, but the British and the Frencn have fought cleanly, decently finely, ana
 have shaken hands and become friends
 over the chasm.
 'It is just this and other things that l
 am endeavoring to do in my lectures III
 America-to inform the American peopie