Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-03-09

trained in the French Alps for service
IN Finland
French privates in the army get only
franc Cthree cents) per day IN wages,
although free wine-for soldiers" spots
make life less unbearable. Il saw one
Of these places, the Dion railway sta
ton restaurant, late at night in pass
ing through toward Switzerland: It
was crowded with about 100 soldiers
Of all ages and sprtnkled with numer-
GUS girls Of the town.
There was much talk about how
soon Britain could train men to replace
Frenchmen on duty IN the Maginot
line. French industry is crippled with
over 5000, 900 men In the army: many
Of them are badly needed at home.
Four or five Of the big Partisan
hotels are Communicated by the fight
ing services. For example the Georges
| C1nq. Clar1dgeS, Astoria and others
have been taken over by the army or
/ air force as headquarters. One is met
when entering in search of a room by
a shrug OF the shoulder, WY smile.
/ and "C'eSt nilitaire."
The American Express Co.'S large
office retains only u Of rs to 100
employees.
I OF the museums only the Trocadero
and a few minor ones can be visited.
1 The Louvre, Cluny, Rodin and others
/ have their treasures stored safely else
where.
From Paris a night train took me
through Dion to observation-disclosures
and on to Zermatt, a resort town
which has had all of her tourist trade
cut off. Only three small hotels of
the 20 which the town supports were
open. AS the town Is on the slopes
of the Matterhorn a few miles from
the Swiss-Italian border, 500 or 600
men of the Swiss ski patrol were quar-
tered in the immediate vicinity, while
others we're being trained nearby. ar
rived on the day when all newspapers
headlined the death Of Giuseppe
Motta, minister president OF the Swiss
legislative body. Motta was a strict
neutral outwardly and all comment
about his political career was highly
complimentary. I found no one who
would admit any fear Of the likelihood
ian invasion. Some mentioned the
banning of the BaSler zeitUng-the
pronaH sheet-without feeling. The
mass impression got was Of horror
but resignation to the war and all 1t
brings. found myself wondering
whether warning nations ever think
of the effect on neutrals such as
their vital tourist trades gone, their
exports and imports draSticaly cur
tailed, and their peoples In a precarious
state of continued uncertainty.
After four days left for Italy, via
the Simplon tunnel, to Milan. The
La Scala opera was In full swing and
I attended fine performance OF La
Rodine." 1t was strange to see lights
on the street at night.
The italian private soldier gets
lire or about AS of cent day with
a lire allowance per child.
Greenish-blue lamps were notice
able in park trees for use In the black !
out If and when war comes. A citizen |
drill in air raid precautions and in
far back as April, 1899, although none !
had been decreed lately.
The newspaper men were of the |
opinion: That the italian navy was |
the only national fighting service ready |
at this time for war; that Ciano really !
guided Italy's foreign policy through |
Edda Ciano, MllssoliniS daughter; that |
Italy would again try to blackman |
France at a crucial moment In the |
future for Corsica, Nice and Tlnis In |
exchange for her neutrality; that |
italian people hated Britain less than |
Germany.
clearing house for European neutral |
and belligerent trade. Mussolini also
seems to be selling all possible Abys-
sinian coffee and other exports for
foreign exchange.
After an enormous amount Of red
tape and trouble in Genoa at the
Italian Lines offices, who are agents
now for the United States lines, we
sailed on the Washington for New
York
Johns Hopkins hospital. Baltimore,
IL days later after q stormy crossing.
1t Is almost indecent to see so many
lights on the streets at night But 1t
certainly looks good. American coffee
and voice accents are much better
than Grover Whalen as ''welcomers"
to New York.
I have arrived safely and In fine
fettle ready to continue out the clinical
year of medicine at Johns Hopkins
hospital. They have accepted my
European credits and the doctor Of
degree from Oxford and I
win continue on for my M. d. here.
--<S>-