The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-05-13
Frederic Haslkin's Letter
European TraUel Today.

in the first class hotels, and ~.
the franc ct . little over 49,.
cents instead OF 10, the Ame,isss
has . distinct advantage. He thhs.
however, that 1t ID not possihls =
expect to save money even ~.
The fifst class hotels have ~
renovated and are as good a NJ.
ever were. But when it comes !. |
the pensions. or boarding hon..
the situation is different from n n.
old days. Before the war Il =.
possible to obtain room ana !,
cellent meals in a Swiss pensin.
for as low as one dollar = A.,
Now the rate is higher, and N.
food is very different. Butter s.s
meat are scarce. Coarse bread i.
served. Economy is still ramn,,
in these small hostelries, Just a. j.
Is in private homes.
Italy is looked to by many OF IN.
tourists as the place where ths
American eagles will scream N.
loudest. And this is no doubt trus
Passenger rates have increassS
over 200 per cent and hotel ana
restaurant prices are 200 to aoa
per cent higher. But the lira h.
decreased 400 per cent, so that Il /.
worth only 5 cents against h
standard of 10 cents.
HOspitable Italy.
Italy is said to be in good shan.
to receive visitors. Hotels hay.
been done over and many supplisS
with the American luxuries of MOD.
ern heating plans and bathing IA.
cilities.
In general, the traveller may ex.
pect to find that while travel in
Europe is cheaper than travel h
this country, it is every bit as e1.
pensive as staying at home. Every.
where the tourist goes, there are
unexpected demands for money
Taxes are as prevalent there AZ
here. The luxury tax is even er.
tended in some pla&es to take IN
meals on trains and in restaurants
While in Germany, a foreigner i,
regarded as source of taxation
merely because he is foreigner
His meals are higher, and be IA
taxed wherever he goes as an
exotci, unnecessary being.
Except for the Rhineland and
other parts in allied control, Ger.
many is not an easy country NOV
TO rthe tourists to visit. In fact
all Of the central European coup
tries offer more difficulties in tn,
way of passports and vises ant
they are not reorganized for tn,
! tourist trade as western Europe |,
Belgium, France and Italy hav
pulled themselves together 10
visitors more rapidly than it va
thought possible they could. Mucl
of the railroad tracking wrecke,
during the war has been rebuilt
and trains have been renovated
! The battlefields have been mad
! easily accessible by trains and bu
lines, and inns and hotels hav
sprung up all along the routes
Souvenirs, post cards, everythin,
that the tourist used to want
again on sale. r
! Bargains in these things ar
I, scarcely to be expected. The tour
list everywhere is always a legiti
mate prey for the natives. Las
year the French dealers and inn
keepers put up their prices s.
needlessly that the French govern
ment sent out a notice-"Don'
treat the tourists as some of yp
treated the American soldiers
justice, however, it should be sal
that there have been tourists VII
did not hesitate to pass off ciga
coupons for American paper none
on unsuspecting peasants.
Before the war, American sight
seers were spending SITS ,O00, 900 b
Europe every year. The loss Q
this has made a large hole in th
pockets Of tradespeople and guide!
who depended on the tourists 70
their living. Now, they expect
return of the old reckless spending
And they will probably not hope
vain. The tourists are coming.