Evening star., 1934-10-28
BY JAMES WALDO FAWCETT.

| travellers IN Time QeVelOp prdC-
tical philosophy of travel.
Such. in any case, is the conviction
Of many who certainly should be au-
thorities on the subject-men and
women who travel much, who travel
comfortably and who travel joyfully.
For example, there Is the technique
Of starting. The beginner cannot be
expected to understand that it is pos
sible to depart easily and gracefully.
A legend persists concerning hectic
dashes for trains and steamers, lost
baggage, unnecessary expense and
heated tempers, but the panic is
needless in real fact. Going abroad
nowadays ought not to be a much
more adventurous experience than
setting out on a motor trip to Canada
or Florida is for the average PennSyl-
vanian or New Yorker. Science has
eliminated most of the chances which
transatlantic voyage meant a half
century ago. People can travel with
out excitement nowadays, and that,
surely, is the best way to travel.
Preparation Helpful.
IL ID Will, VI COul DC, W PACP0iS Al
advance; and preparation should sig
Nifty not only booking passage but
also planning in reasonable detail
when and where and how to use the
time set apart for the tour.
II one is going to England. 1t is well
to read Tudor, Georgian and Victor
ian history; If one is going to France,
| 1t will help II recourse Is had to M.
Guizot's chronicles of the French ma
ton. Those interested in architec-
ture should consult such guide as
Banister Fletchers, those interested
in music. any one Of a dozen excel
lent handbooks on the lives and
works Of eminent composers. But the
most competent assistance will be
that OF standard Baedekers or Muir
rays, expensive but invaluable. A
pragmstic policy is that Of checking
in prospect the things one really de-
sireS to see or to do and then while
travelling to use the margins Of the
books for diary notations day by day.
Little leisure Is the lot of the aver
age pilgrim to the Continent, and
brief, hastily written entries usually
are all that can be accomplished. But
these notes should not be so Scanty
as to prove disappointing when con-
suited long after the tour has been
completed. One Of the principal
pleasures Of a vacation in Europe is
that of memory. but details fade with
surprising rapidity and unless one
has adequate records much is bound
to be lost.
English Tongue Universal.
( However, it is a mistake to burden
ones self with too large a library of
heavy or awkward volumes. No such
| expedient is necessary. Almost every
thing in the line of literature that any
traveller may want is to be had for the
asking in railroad stations, hotels and
elsewhere along the routes GUS
tomarily' followed. Also, English now
Is SO universally spoken everywhere
abroad that the average American
invariably can find an agreeable men,
tor for visits to cathedrals and mu-
seums. castles and palaces, galleries
and concert halls. Women guides are
available for those who wish their
assistance; men for those who feel
safer" under their chaperonage.
| But it should be made clear that
there is small peril for anybody
travelling in Europe. Even when war
or revolution RACES, Americans usually
are immune from interference-unless
they deliberately run into danger.
Women, journeying alone, are just as
safe as they would be at home; per-
hapS even safer since the European
police system is particularly mindful
Of foreigners.
Warnings on Ships.
There are nevertheless. some things
to avoid. Card playing for money with
strangers, for instance, is a risky
business. especially at sea. Warnings
are posted on many vessels, but peo-
pie insist all too frequently in disre-
garding them. Yet the fact is that
professional gamblers-not cheats
but rather people skilled in every
legitimate trick of the game-travel
back and forth month in and month
out for no purpose save to take ad-
vantage of such amateurs as are
foolish enough to fall into tempta-
tion.
AS to luggage. the authentic world
beater knows how to travel light
and prefers it. One or two suit cases
normally, should be plenty for the
average man; a small steamer trunk
for the average woman. An excellent
device is that of buying additional
containers as one requires them
Americans ordinarily purchase guam
titles of articles to carry home, but
the best way to carry them is to pack
them in bags or boxes which can be
expressed to the point of return sail
ing and held to be called for imme-
diately prior to departure. Especially
in Italy, it Is distinct advantage
not to have too much baggage to
worry about.
Certain homely conveniences, how
ever, should be included in every
practical kit. A small alarm clock
comes in handy even on shipboard-
unless one is anxious to miss ones
breakfast. Extra towels are useful
since few hotels appear to have
enough. And for men a rational sup
ply of the kind of razor blades they
are accustomed to is important-some
European blades are better than their
American contemporaries; some are
notably worse.
Food Richer.
Regarding food, it is-important to
remember that Continental dishes as
l