Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-06
French People
Now Sing at Work.
BY carries e. BEDAUx,

Chairman. Washingt ton Lafayette Institution.
It is interesting to note that those
statesmen and newspapers who were
so anxious to prevent our parttcipa-
ton in the World War are the very
same who now point an accusing fin.
ger at France, declaring her to be a
most ungrateful nation, whose envi.
GUS hatred, disguised under form of
tunker patriotism, is directed against
all nations in general, but more par
ticularly against the United States.
Only three months ago, on the floor
of the United States Senate, the
French were called those hateful for
eigners"
/ wanted to see and went to France,
expecting to find the people gnashing
their teeth; instead / found them
laughing.
Hatred Not in Evidence.
talked with all classes, inter-
viewed members of the executive and
legislative branches of the govern
ment and spoke at length with the
President of the French Republic. No
WHGI6 i THAT SplTlI VI tldLECu
so feelingly denounced here.
If you wish to ascertain what the
French people think, go to the the
alter mot to those baited perform
ances where the program and the ad-
vertisements on the back Of each seat
are couched in a language emphati-
cally Identifying the audience; no,
mean to that small portion of the
Paris theater which addresses itself
to the French people
You can in no better way feel the
pulse OF present public opinion than
by going to the Revue Marigny and
the Revue de l'Odeon. There you will
see that French humor and French
good humor have returned hand in
hand. True, we are laughed at, but
for every dig directed at US the French
audience applauds 100 sharper digs di-
rected at itself.
During the past few years France
has been on edge. The least mimi
cal gesture reused her suspicion and
ire; she was still controlled by the re.
fieXes developed in four and one-half
years of trench warfare. Constantly
on the "qui vive," she was prone to
pick enemies out of the air. 1t takes
from year to IS months to trans
plant the latest Paris gown into one
of our central States. 1t has taken
that long, It would appear, for the
news of the nervous attitude of
France to reach Missouri and go back
to Washington, but IL has arrived too
late; during the interval time has al
tered the public mind of our friend.
Taking Stock Of Herself.
France has taken stock of herself
Her poverty used to CRATE on her
nerves. 1t no longer does. She
realizes that her inpoverishment has
come about through fighting in de.
Tense OF the good name Of the world
She feared that poverty would mean
blot on her history. Today she
knows that 1t Is halo, which all peo-
Piles in time will learn to respect and
admire. She is in the right and she
knows 1t. She has done something
noble, and though she has lost her
magnificent wealth in the struggle
feels richer than before.
She now laughs at her impatience
and forbodings Of yesterday. certain
that, come what may, she will have
the strength to rise through the value
Of her own work.
Her stormy political situation does
not unduly worry her. Is 1t not, after
all, a benign disturbance compared to
the Dread Storm? It is In fact a
natural product Of the restless post
war years and the political armistice
day Is also sure to come.
Financial Crisis Serious.
The financial situation is serious. 1t
Is more than serious. it Is critical
but not so much SO as was the first
battle Of the Marine. All France needs
to survive it, is to maintain her will
to work, and she Is today working
harder than at any time since tire
Armistice. What Is still more sig
niflcant, the men and women OF
France for the first time since pre-
war days, sing as they toll.
It took a coalition Of all Europe and
the SHOWS Of Moscow to silence for a
time the Marseillaisee gone wild
''Madelon," against staggering odds
helped repulse the worlds greatest
avalanche. If with the taste for work
gaiety returns to France, a solid silver
lining will permanently fringe and
gradually eclipse the dark clouds OF
imitation.
downright. 1890