The Washington times., 1932-11-04


can Partisan weekly of large circu-
lation, for the purpose of making
'reportage' with regard to bread
"lthEKr sEIDEs lines gunmen speakeasiese etc. that
should be definitely unflattering. -.
'As matter of fact he told me, I like America
very much l even prefer American cooking
viii you put all that in your articles? asked him.
=. He gave me smile that said all there to say.
When his reporage' appeared it showed needless to
state that America an abyss of wretchedness and that
it is hopelessly headed for the demnition bowwows
Provincial Parisians -..
IT often wonder what the French would say and do
i an American We're to make flying trip to France
and then go back and write book about France sim
liar to Duhamels America. There would, am sure
be considerable clanor, and we should hear much
about American haste, American superficiaty, and
the like .r.'. - r, <,1''
But Duhamel's book is long since old stuff Even
the intelligent Frenchman, such NJ Bernard Fay has
condemned it. lYet M Duhamel we must remember
IS commonly looked upon not journalist but as a
highly serious writer) The point is in the past
has been more parocal than the Frenchman and above
all the bred-n-thebone Partisan, the attitude being
Seeing that am Frenchman-or Parisian-why
traVel Where is there to co.? This, incidentally,
Il is only since the armsc that the French have really
discovered a world outside their own frontiers ':
An American Reports -..~.. - .>--..
AS one who property pays taxes and resides the
greater part OF the year in village in centrasouhern
France and sends his son to French public school,
this ter has observation two to make which he
Ieels lay not be without certain firsthand interest
My own impressions therefore claim to be than
those of foreign resident but at least they are not the
result OF flying reportorial visit.
TO sum up my feeling with respect to my adopted
feow-cltizens $50 to speak) may say that / love the
French, but have illusions about them l find the
Italians personally charming than the French the
Germans have clear and shining virtues and the Span
1ards possibly all in ALL the incest certainly the
most hospltabe people in Europe: And yet when /
come back to France always have the sensation some
way OF setting foot home SOIL have tried to anayze
this, and think it is due simply to the fact that the
French have worked out the system of iberasc ind-
viduasm to the last degree which makes their country
fO OliVof of
colectlVstlc generation. :..r
The Danger Zone
But is precisely here it, that the danger for
ne french lies: distinguished French professor NJ
Albert Thbaudet observes Deprived not merely Of it's
radtlona but of its tradonalstic elements of what
IN the nature of being it's heritage of the accumulated
Consciousness of its past and its wealth of memories
France would dry up like wthered grape No country
OF national tradition but NJ Thbaudet would seem to
imply France has little else upon which to feed
eLiving in. the Past >..<.-s.
This is equivalent to saying that she is living in the
IS still living in the eighteenth century the days Of the
french Revolution when that ringing hymn the MAR
sellalse' meant something. 49,.
Great Nation'' ..~.....
. et France for the most part is politically cock-sure
her way is the only way not alone for herself but for
Ine world There nevertheless some thinkers who
WI te you that France is the greatest stumbngblock
!nere IS to the political transformation of Europe If She
stumbling block, it is due to her cocksureness her
see,nngy neradcabe superiority complex t all comes
ornoa 70 9ne Frenchman and his dog) This leads the
errnan Francophobe to put so much venom nto Il wien
ne quotes the phrase ia grande nation - :. =
ouG mere are young Frenchmen who are beginning to
dome. 20 ~ '"'ques es omar
H. He Ghe Frenehman),' remarks M. cbardonne should
TAKE STOCK OF ms fundamental singuarity and should
a!e1ran from Judging beyond his frontiers what he
IS incapable OF understanding" "' t'
~ A. BurrS. Accident rNFWSpApEpMHN To c1E71