The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-18

N iestment rather than
 =555 5sSGS== 7s as an expense. tS'@'FCt1BES It is q pity travel so often is confined to the well to do. Unfortunately those who would prof 1t most by travel are those who are able to travel least.
 Even. so, more travel is now in dulged in by Americans not of the well-to-do class than by the people of modest circumstances in any other country. Americans in fact, have the reputation abroad of being the greatest globe-trotters on earth. This little an eedote Illustrates this point:
 Vesuvius was rather active and vari ous parties of visitors were watching it.. The volcano gave one particularly violent unheaval, causing one American to remark to another: That reminds me of H."
 Those Americans do travel. don't they?" remarked one nearby English man to another.
 News that the United States govern ment has interested itself in arranging visits to France, particularly the battle fields. by our young men who fought
  comed. It is hoped to carry through many trips this summer and next. The United States: lines, running govern ment-owned ships, were sponsoring this timely plan anl have fixed as starter a 30-day veterans reunion tour which will allow about 15 days in France.
 The total cost to each veteran will be only $275.
 The plan is the outcome of an idea which has been exercising the mind of a fellow journalist. k. NJ. Bryan of New York, for years-he has discussed it with me repeatedly. In a talk with Bryan, who served in the war as cap tain in the. quartermaster corps, he gave this intimate story of how the plan found birth
 Everybody desires to travel Most people, because of the course followed by steamship. companies think of ocean travel only in terms of the luxury class. Travel helps lot. One naturally finds the travelled men the most inter- esting. It is usually found also, that he is the most successful Some of my friends, now successful men, gratified their early love for travel, by work in; their way to Europe on cattle ships In my own case, an idea gained on my first trip to Europe in 1912, has increased my earning every year since.
 "So shortly after the war l resumed my trips to Europe. l have found that veterans of the war with whom 1 have extensive contact, envy my trips abroad. When asked why they don't do the same thing the reply invariably has been that they could not afford it.
 ''The eager interest shown by the veterans to be able to visit Europe. especially France, before all traces of the war have been removed, set me thinking on ways and means Recently l set out for Europe on the Levia- than-the most famous of all troop ships-with this thought much in my mind. I had been at sea only two days when l felt 1 had the solution. 5ss!-:
 T radioed the suggestion to the United States lines that if they could give over certain of their third cabins exclusively to the veterans for certain trips and provide in France an inex- pensive tour whereby the veterans could spend all the time he desired in Paris. allowing ample time to visit the battle fields, felt such tours would be pat ronized literally. They immediately radioed me, expressing keen interest and asking fuller details.
 '''On reaching France l made it a point to ascertain the attitude of the French people toward these excursions. l found them most eager to cooper ate not only to make the tours of great interest to the veterans but also to make them so moderate in cost as to make it possible for the greatest tO an iov trinc
 Returning home. found practically every man. from general to private, who had taken part in the war eager to have these tours started.
 Any veteran who is not able to go this summer has only to save S5 q week to enjoy a trip next summer
 Bryan finds many members of divi sions, regiments and companies are anxi- ous to arrange tours whereby they may reunion on French soil The plan is to have the veteran go of his own initiative and at his own expense. There will be no appeal for financial help. The only appeal will be to em- ployers to cooperate with the veteran so his vacation may fit one of the scheduled tours.
 The average age of those who saw service in France was young" says Bryan. Moreover. the soldier had no other thought than that of fighting to win the war. He had no time to study the country or it's people. France in the turmoil of war was not in a posi- tion to give visitors the proper per spective of its true beauty and wealth. nor were its citizens, weighted down oe Nl,o frame of mind to show to the Amer ican soldier their best natures.
 "The picture the soldier will get in France this year and next year will be entirely different He will come back a broader and better citizen.
 An attractive idea, is it not?