Evening star., 1927-05-01
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.


Authorities concerned with the main
tenance of friendly relations between
the United States and the outside world
are already taking account of
the possibilities for good and evil
that are contained in the forthcom-
ing American Legion exodus to
France. 1t is conceded by all who
are giving thought to the subject
that the expedition will have to be
conducted with extreme care il an
enterprise conceived in a spirit Of in
ternational goodwill is not to drift
into a condition resultant in interna-
tional bad blood. The need for
watching their step" will be as
urgent upon the part of the French
hosts as upon the part of their eX,
uberant American visitors. All that
can be said now is that in both coun-
tries the ardent wish exists that the
whole proposition should be weighed
we'll in advance, from all it's various
angles, dangers realized, and. so far
as possible, measures taken to avert
them.
When President Coolidge a few
weeks ago received from an official
American Legion delegation formal
notice of the plans for the Paris
pilgrimage in September, 1921 he OBJ
served ''You took care of yourselves
when you were over before and /
know you will take care of yourselves
again" There's more than meets the
eve in that presidential utterance.
1t can be interpreted as an admoni-
ton.
Hostility to Americans.
Our diplomatic relations with France
and the French government are en-
tirely cordial. But it is notorious
that there is a deep p-Seated hostility
to the United States Government and
Americans generally among the
French people. Our insistence upon
fair settlement of the several billion
dollars which France owes us FanL<ies
in the bosoms of millions OF her CIT
izens, who, without either the desire
or the capacity to reason 1t out Tor
themselves, hold Uncle Sam to plame
| for the seemingly endless plight OF
| the franc and of Frances other eco
nonlic woes.
The American Legionnaires are
bound to run into this wave OF pop
ular resentment in France. Upon the
manner in which they meet it un'
doubtedly will depend to large eX'
| tent the success or failure of their
return to the soil which gave them
glory 10 years ago. To this writer
comes the suggestion that 1t would
not be half-bad idea for the Legion
| leaders, between now and september,
| to carry on a systematic campaign OF
education among the men who are
planning to invade France. For the
| present, apparently, the Legion is con-
fining itself to advertising the PHI
grimage in the most attractive terms,
with a view to making it as imposing
as possible from a numerical stand
point Outside observers are fearful
| that far too little stress will be laid
upon the psychological aspects Of the
expedition and upon the moral, spirit
ual and political values involved. Be.
cause of the joyous reunion" feature
| of the scheme and it's "joyride" ma
ture, there is thought to be the gravest
danger that the serious sides of the
affair will be overlooked.
Conditions Are Changed.
| The LegionnaIres are going to be
well advised, above all, if they deter
mine, before leaving home, to refrain
religiously in France from America
won-the-war" talk, and from kindred
suggestions that France and the
other allies were clicked" when the
| A. E. F. came along and turned the
| tide of victory in their direction.
| When they contemplate the graves
of their million and three quarters of