Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1921-08-25
FRENCH CLING TO
Old WAYS; WORK OF.
REBUILDING STARTS
PRsJup,cEs .HAMPER WORK OF
Observation-Disclosures TO
CONVINCE INHABITANTS THAT
*fNEW2 IDEAS ARE THE BEST


New York. Model cities and vii.
lagos WIN soon be sprlnelng up In the
war districts OF France provided the
Inhabitants can be convinced that
what was good enough for their grand
fathers Is not good enough for them.
There is the rub. The civic idealsts,
many OF them Americans. who set
out with a vision of model towns
rising from old ruins are running
up against the same Quirks OF
human nature encountered by Sir
Christopher Wren. when he tried TO
rebuild a London beautiful after the
great fire OF 1896, remarks the Liter
AIRY Digest.
II left 10 themselves Jean and
Jeanne would rebuild their homes and
shops exactly as they We're before
German artillery reduced them TO
dust and tender memories. A shop
keeper fears that his customers VIII
not find his shop unless II Is the replica
OF its predecessor. And madam would
like 10 have her spinning wheel set
as II was when she stopped spinning
In the summer Of 1914.
Habits are Strong.
The habits of centuries are strong
among the poilus. Nevertheless, the re-
constructi0nIsts are hopeful. Outlines
of plans FOR model towns to replace
those destroyed have been appearing
off and on In French and other
periodicals for some time and one OF
The latest projects win he tried out
as an experiment. with The financial
backing OF an American committee.
This plan was prepared under the
auspices OF the French organization
known rs La Renaissance des Cites,
which Is seeking to have spring up on
the ruins Of northern France communl-
ties which shall combine modernlty
with the charm tibet is so striking a
Characteristic of French towns many
centuries old
La Renaissance DIES Cites has al
ready helped over POO towns in north
ern France to prepare reconstruction
plans. In addition, 1t is doing eduea-
tional work Of various kinds In the
rest Of the communities in the devas-
tated lands-aggregating about 2,40O.
In order to further the work of re-
construction, La Renaissance DIES
Cites decided to create model VII
lage. After studying more than 1899
towns and villages throughout the
devastated areas, it finally selected the
village Of pinon. on account of its hav-
ing a population typical of northern
France, boths from the, farming apd
Industrial points OF view. and also
ON account Of its being near Paris
on direct rail and road routes. which
Will make II easy Of access both to
Frenchmen and foreign visitors.
Natives Grumble.
PinOn was completely destroyed in
the war At least one member or
practically every family that liveS
there before the war has returned,
10 live in some sort of hastily built
shack, waiting for the old homes to
he rebuilt At first most Of the ma
tlyes did not favor the idea Of having
pinon used as Il model village, but
after long discussions they decided
tn LET La Renaissance DIES Cites create
one for them The general plans We're
drawn up by Charles Abella, IA winner
OF the much coveted Prix de Rome in
architecture An American committee
has been formed to get funds from the
United States to be expended In the
reconstruction of Plnon. This com
mittee has representatives In many
large American cities. The committee
plans to turn over to the French Or
ganization an amount sufficient not
only to rebuild one devastated town,
but to provide number of homeless
war victims with permanent shelter.
The planners continue. with their
work. but some of the old natives are
reluctant to take UP these 'newfsngled
fads.''