Evening star., 1922-08-20

AS an answer to the oft-repeated
complaint of Frenchmen that the
United States does not understand
their country (although scores of
American newspapers have corre-
spondents cabling daily from Paris).
the Paris Figaro suggests that per-
haps France does not understand the
United States as well as it might.
No French newspaper has a regular
telegraphic correspondent in Amer
lea. but the Figaro (Which belongs to
the perfumer Coty, now in the United
States) has started a weekly Amer
lean page, which aims to give French
men a picture of American life.
One weeks outgiving includes an
article on "A Typical American
Henry Ford" a picturesque account
of New York race meeting, a recent
'bolshevik outrage" at Chicago and
series of short notes about Amer
ican oddities. such as bathing suit
service, the movie divorce epidemic,
new pickpocket trick and a Brook
lyn breach of promise suit.
Pleads for Understanding.
But the most interesting and Sc
rious contribution is that of Louis
Thomas, a French journalist. who
has lived in America. who writes:
This vast continent, allied to
France in the time of Lafayette and
again of Pershing, is today rather
separated from France morally be-
cause France insufficiently under
stands the United States and the
United States insuff1ciently under
stands France.
requires constant watchful study, be-
cause no other country evolves SO
rapidly. This rapidity of change ex-
plains how the Americans. our allies
of yesterday, have today withdrawn
practically all their troops from the
Rhine. 1t is an Anglo-Saxon trait
the problem of today counts. not
memories of yesterday.
Not Adequately Explained.
"Frenchmen in Paris often COM
plain almost Indignantly that we are
not upheld by the Americans in this
continuation of the war that we are
passing through under diplomatic
and financial forms. But II we are
neglected and misunderstood and sep
arated for fifty reasons from our
brothers in arms of 1S17-1S. let us
confess that we have been imprudent
in not explaining ourselves better to
our brave and hardworking friends,
the Americans, and that we have ig-
norantly failed to see how difficult
their own situation is.
"It is a sad fact that France has
not succeeded in making Americans
comprehend her immense needs, born
from the war and the German dew
astations. Every time that Ameri-
cans have comprehended this they
have acted as Miss Anne Morgan and
her friends have acted: They have
worked to bring a little ease and
freedom for work and life to our
brothers of the devastated regions.
But the United States Is a big
country. we have no information
service there, and our diplomacy
seems not to realize the Importance
and urgency of the task it has to
accomplish. .,
cans, as we'll as to the French VINO
live in America. to observe that rare
are the Frenchmen who have the
siirhtest idea of the terrible eco
noinic crisis that weighs down upon
the United States. Every business
man who has crossed the ocean this
mast winter has observed ft-that
business was better in France than
in America during the winter OF
,1941-1922.
High Taxes i'm America.
f"Let not my readers suppose that
7 am seeking to arouse their pity
for those poor Americans. in the
manner Of Banville bewailing poor
Rothschild.' No. the United States Is
still the richest country in the world,
with an enormous agricultural pro-