Evening star., 1924-04-20

Italy mas proved 10 De the laNOTlle.
American consuls report that the
German horde has filled every re-
sort, every spa, every watering place
and every beautiful little seaside
town from Genoa to Venice and from
Milan to Naples. Rome and Naples,
with adjacent Pompeii and Florence,
are overrun with German sightseers.
and many hundreds have spent the
entire winter along the Italian Ri
viera, painting and walking and
mountain climbing at Sorrento.
Amalfi, Salerno, and in Sicily at Pal
ermo and Taormina.
Spendthrirts in France.
Southern France has drawn fewer
numbers, but more spendthrift
clientele. Germans wintering at
Cameo. Nice and Monte Carlo have
lived in lavish fashion throughout
the season, in many cases keeping
suites at the most fashionable hotels,
entertaining continuously, always ac-
companiCd by much bejeweled women,
and participating in the most expen-
sive amusements and pastimes. Man
ayers at both the casinos at Monte
Carlo and Cannes told this corre-
spondent recently that it was Ger
man money that kept the gambling
tables going throughout rather meager
season.
Switzerland is in the peculiar posi-
tion of both welcoming and resent
ing the immigration of her Teutonic
neighbors from across the border.
German gold has kept the banks
booming and financed some indus
tries. and German visitors have kept
the many hotels always filed, but at
the same time great numbers of the
lower classes have filtered in and
gradually obtained a majority of tall
the jobs to be had by a willingness
or even eagernesS to work hard for
board and lodging only. The walters,
porters, bellbOys and maids in the
hotels in Switzerland are nearly all
Germans now, working for a bare
living, and the natives are jobless
and in bad straits. unable to COM
pete. This has become really
serious condition, as the hotel busi-
ness is the main industry in Swift
zerland, and in most cases the ousted
hotel servants know no other trade
Paris Gaycties Lure Germans.
The gayeties of Paris during the
winter season also have lured wealthy
Germans away from home. They
have been living at the Ritz, at the
Continental, at the Claridge. There
is always a goodly sprinkling of
them at every performance of the
Grand Opera and the Opera Comique,
especially in force for the Wagnerian
offerings. Each evening sees at least
one party of Germans at each Of the |
famous expensive restaurants for
dinner-the Cafe de Paris, La Rue, El
Canneton, the Maisonette, and after
the theater at the American Jazz
dance cafes in MOntmartre, PigalIes, |
PAbbaye, the Paraquette. Zellis and
other such restaurants, spending
money freely. Often these Germans !
in Paris try to give the impression
that they are Swiss or Alsatfan. Hol-
landers or Hungarians but it is
necessary for all foreigners to make !
out police registration cards. and on
practically all of these their home
town is given as Berlin, Hamburg. |
Strassburg or some other German
city.
There has been a general feeling of
surprise and some indignation ex-
pressed by Americans by the tact
lessness shown by Germans with
whom they have rubbed elbows on
hnf -,
ses, on boats and in the hotels. Every
one seems to have been struck with
a certain arrogance and "pushiness"
that the Germans show toward their
fellow travellers. They act like they
own the world" about sums up the
impression that a great many Ameri-
cans are bringing back to America
with them and one of the favorite
pastimes of American friends on
meeting in Europe is to swap yarns
of alterations, minor hostilities, and
even heated, though bloodIess combat
that they have had over stolen rail
way seats or other such small un-
pleasantnesses, some of which ended in
bad feeling all around.
Welcomed With Open Arms.
1t is not at all surprising that Ger
mans should gain a feeling of equal
ity and perfect freedom among for
eigners, even their recent enemies for
they are treated on all sides with un-
feigned hospitality and cordiality, es-
pecially if they are spending money.
Hotel keepers, head walters, shop
keepers and al lother classes who
have anything to gain from travellers
pocketbooks are just as obseQuious,
just as willing to please Germans as
they are Americans, more 50 in fact,
if the Germans appear to be more pros
porous, for Germans money is just
as good as every ones else. and in the
end that is the real criterion in these
times of tight money and high tax
es.
Prince Ruprecht, the exkaiser's son,
was wintering with his suite at the
Winter Palace Hotel in Luxor. No
more Difference could have been
shown him before the war. He was
given the same bowling and salaaming
and general regal attention that the
Prince of Wales is given en- tour, If
not more, and on all official and state
functions he assumed and was given
the same precedence formerly shown
to royalty.
This same friendly feeling toward
rich Germans is evinced with equal
alacrity in France where all bitter
ness from the war disappears at the
sight of gold. French walters and
porters and others with war decora-