Evening star., 1933-02-12

One of the most curious myths
which has found its way INTO the
fabric OF American lore Is that
traditional friendship has always sub
1isted bstween France and the Unlte1
States. It Is curious because II Is SO
at variance with the actual historical
fats. T'he recent action OF France in
def,il.ing on her war debt payment
to tt!S United States was but typical
OF rng train Of events.
Schoc'-book histor-ieS probably are
responsible for the myth. 1t can be
tracked down to its source in the story
Of how the Marquis de la Fayette came
ever to this country and teca-ne one
Of Washingtons most gallant ana eff
cient lieutenants. What the histories
fail to make clear is that. during a
good deal Of his career, La Fayette was
far from a popular hero in France. At
one time he barely escaped. by secret
fight, arrest by the French authori-
ties and probably the guillotine After
suffering the utmost privation he
finally was able to creep back to his
country estates, so disgusted with the
French that he declined to take any
active part In public affairs of that
nation. He made a return visit to
America, quitting France much as
though fleeing from an enemy to the
arms Of friend. So La Fayette can
not be held up as an example OF
Franco American amity.
Gen Washington, after winning the
Revolutionary War. serving eight years
as President and retiring to Mount Ver-
non, agreed to emerge from retirement
in his old age to reassume command OF
the American Army to fight the French.
The arts Of diplomacy STAYED OF a
struggle.
In the period, beginning soon after
the Revolution, during which Washing
ton was in process of being convinced
that the new Nation must fight France,
the French people had been committing
depredations and spoliations upon
American commerce too hostile to be
lightly treated. French spcliation claims
amounting to some s5.000,0 ,000-a great
sum In those days-were submitted by
the United States.
Individual Frenchmen Friendly.
At q later period, when what now is
the State Of Texas was an Independent
republic, France became involved In q
quarrel with her over discourtesy which,
1t was alleged, had been shown the
French Minister to Texas by Texas
citizen. France sent feet to demon
strate OH the Texas coast and threat
ened war against the new State. The
turbulence of France was one Of the
reasons prompting Texas to enter the
American Union as a State.
A great many minor incidents in the
history Of Franco-American relations
might be brought up to illustrate how
NEUROLOGICAL is the school-book version
Of traditional friendship between the
two nations. It is true that large num-
bers of individual Frenchmen have
manifested the utmost friendliness to
the American people and have regarded
the United States as a haven Of refuge
from oppression at home. The Bona
parte family In America, o member of
which, Charles Joseph, served as Secre-
tary Of the Navy and Attorney General
in President Theodore Roosevelt's Cab
met, originally came here in fugitive
guise. The Lost Dauphin, according to
one explanation Of his utter disappear
ance, ned to America and, under the
name of Eleazer williams, lived and
died in New York State. II will be
noted that had strong, actual friendship
subsisted between the two nations, as
the school books tell, these Frenchmen