The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-05-17
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC j. HAsKIN. Director,
Washington, d. G.
EUROPEAN TRAVEL TODAY.

Washington, d. c., May 14.-After
six lean years, Europe is again to en-
terrain the American tourist on large
and lavish scale. School teachers. stu
dents, literati. and all the other types
of travellers are planning to spend their
money abroad this summer.
The reasons are several To the
usual cultural advantages of European
travel, there are now added the at
fractions of alcohol, and of rates of
exchange which make the American
dollar look considerably larger than it
does in this country. Also, Europe has
changed in the years of war, and many
people who would never care to view
the same landmark or scenic effect
twice are going over again to bring
| their conversation up-to-date. Finally,
business men are said to be less rushed
with work this year, so that they have
time to run over to Europe as they
used to do in the days of normally.
Altogether, Europe is going to be
popular again. 1t is difficult now to
book passage on the big steamers for
any time this summer. In fact, far
sighted people tell US they began to
make arrangements for this years va
cation as soon as they unpacked their
trunks at home last September.
The steamship companies go so far
as to claim that Europe will receive
more tourists this summer than in
1913. And even at that the number
will be limited by the shipping facili-
ties. The companies are not in a po-
sition to add to their passenger fleets
materially this year. They, as well as
European business men, have had rea-
son to regret the suspension of tourist
transportation. Their ships have been
used as cattle boats, freighters, and
transports. This has meant expensive
repairs in almost every case before the
pn1Il6
commodation again. To take one in
stance, the Aeolus, which was con-
verted into a freighter, is said to have
been laid up nine months in dry dock
for repairs aggregating 100000.
Passages High.
Those prospective tourists who are
promised passage this summer are no
doubt concluding that Europe may be
cheaper to travel in than this country,
but an ocean voyage tends to gobble
up the difference. First class passage
that once cost s12U now sells for
about $3.50, and other rates are cor
| respondingly elevated
Passports, too, seem to have &C
quired lasting favor with govern
| ments as revenue material, and are
still demanded of tourists at the re-
munerative rate, to the government,
of $40 per, red tape thrown in.
Passport red tape is not so rigorous
| still takes two or three weeks to OBJ
| tain papers.
Once the tourist gets to Europe,
he may or may not be able to save
any money. England is notably an
| expensive place now, even with the
English pound worth a little less than
three dollars, instead of it's normal
| $4.S6. According to the department
of commerce, living costs in England
! have not fallen to any extent since
the war. A few commodities tend to
| drop as in this country, but to offset
| the reductions rents have risen and
| travel is more expensive with no i'm
mediate prospect of much lower
! fares.
In Norway and Sweden likewise,
( the rate of exchange is not sufficiently
| in our favor to do more than offset
the heavy increases in living costs.
Economy for the traveller is impos-'
sible, we are told. in northern
Europe.
AS for Switzerland and France, an
| experienced traveller, recently re-
turned, says that these countries Of
| fer satisfactory accommodations in
| the first class hotels, and with the
| franc at a little over eight cents in
stead of nineteen. the American has
| distinct advantage. He thinks, how
ever, that it is not possible to ex-
pect to save money even here. The
| first class hotels have been reno
waited and are as good as they ever
were. But when it comes to the pen
sions, or boarding houses, the situa-
ton is different from in the old days.
Before the war it was possible to OBJ
/ tain a room and excellent meals in
| Swiss pension for as low as one dollar
| a day. Now the rate is higher, and
| the food is very different. Butter
and meat are scarce. Coarse bread is
served. Economy is still rampant in
| these small hostelries, just as it is in
private homes
Italy is looked to by many of the
| tourists as the place where the Ameri-
can eagles will scream the loudest.
| And this is no doubt true. Passenger
rates have increased over 200 per cent
and hotel and restaurant prices are
| 200 and 800 per cent higher. But the
! Ira has decreased 400 per cent, so that
it is worth only five cents against its
standard value of nineteen cents.
HospitabIe Italy.
Italy Is said to be in good shape to
receive visitors. Hotels have been
done over and many supplied with the
American luxuries of modern heating
plants and bathing facilities.
! In general, the traveller may expect
to find that while travel in Europe is
cheaper than travel in this country, it
is every bit as expensive as staying at
home. Everywhere the tourist goes,
| there are unexpected demands for
| money. IaXeS are as prevalent Lnere
as here. The luxury tax is even ex-
tended in some places to take in meals
on trains and in restaurants. While
in Germany, a foreigner is regarded
as a source of taxation merely be-
cause he is a foreigner. His meals are
higher, and he is taxed wherever he
goes as an exotic, unnecessary being
Except for the Rhineland and other
parts in allied control, Germany is not
an easy country now for the tourist
to visit In fact, all of the central
| European countries offer more diff
culties in the way of passports and
vises and they are not reorganized Tor
the tourist trade as western Eu-
rope is.
Belgium. France. and italy have
| pulled themselves together for visitors
more rapidly than it was thought pos
sible they could. Much Of the rail-
road tracking wrecked during the
| h,