The Washington times., 1924-08-16
DOLLARS SWAMP
CASH TLLS IN
LONDON
Americans There on Spending
Spree, Scatter Money
LavishIy
BY DAVID M. CHURCH,
international News Service.

LONDON, Aug. 16. - American
dollars are swapping the cash tills
Of London.
Englishmen are astounded at The
prodigality of Americans with their
money, and with wide.open amaze
ment they rake in shillings from
American tourists where they have
been accustomed tc pence from
English spenders.
During the International Adver.
Using Convention at Wembley
there were 10000 Americans in
and around London. It is esti-
mated that they spent no less than
$6,000,000 in England in q period
Of ten days.
I'VE are changing American
money for Englleh currency at an
| astounding rate" said a cashier in
the office of Thomas Cook 4 Sons,
as he peered over the top of q
heap Of dollars that he had taken
in exchange for one-pound and ten
shilling notes. BY his side there
was a neat bundle OF letters OF
credit and bank drafts. ALL con.
trtbuted by American tourists.
Luxury Purchases.
Luxury purchases by Americans
are the rule rather than the ex-
ception. They are buying fine old
books. paintings and tapestries and,
apparently. caring little what they
are charged for them.
American men have kept the
Sackville street tailors busy all
summer lonG--a season when the
taisorS are usually suffering from
trade depression. Their American
customers have gone in extensive.
ly for English plus-fours, the Sack
vile version OF golf knickerbock.
erS.
American women have not bought
great quantities OF clothes, but
they have purchased large uuanti-
ties of materials, particularly
tweeds. America Ii going to be
very tweedy this fall, and Ameri-
can males may as well gel used to
the peatY smell OF tweeds.
Fear Paper Money.
Strangely enough, the English
shopkeepers are still shy Of the
dollar bill. 1t is almost impossible
to make a purchase with American
money 1t must first be changed
into coin OF the realm. Hotels are
not so fussy, and the great hotels
are taking American dollars in
/ huge Quantities.
One small %ohocoov,SnA .oo.l,.
died Of heart failure when a ianky
American stepped into his store
s'ii .sI, pointing to q pipe. asked:
"one guinea" replied the shop.
keeper, fearful lest he would get
the equivalent of IS for his pipe,
Wrap up fifty OF them," said
the American. and the tobacconiSt
nearly went into a swoon.
This spending spree Of The Ameri.
cans is bringing considerable joy to
england. and newspapers gleefully
display headlines:
American Gold For U.s."
Pain and Envy.
There are some, however. to
whom it seems to bring either pain
or envy: A small hotel foyer IN
Oxford was filled with Americans,
buying the most expensive liquors
and wines. In far corner an Eng.
lish woman watched; finally, red in
the face. she flounced out Of the
foyer loudly exclaiming:
Disgusting! should think
America must be thoroughly
empty"
No one asked her what she
meant by empty" and tho waiter
paid no attention to her, for he
was too busy taking more orders.
This looks like a banner season
Tor London, and American dollars
probably will keep many an Eng.
Ash rireside warm and comfy next
winter, while prayers go up for an.
AfhAl. AHIaA..lk.a..A l-aa II. :