Evening star., 1943-04-04
Experiences of Much-Decoruted Woman
Read Like the Pages From Best Seller
Author. Speaker,
Poet and Lingmist
Is QMiet.Mannered
By Marearet Hart,


Her life has been a charmed
one. Her experiences almost akin
to miracles. Her friends never
tire Of hearing of her breath
taking experiences. Mrs. Bates
Batcheller definitely Is a person
to be heard.
She will tell you in q quiet
manner that she was one of the
last Americans to escape from
Paris in 1941. She lived through
the horrors and hardships of life
In Occupied shared the
hunger, privations and misery Of
its still proud but now pitiful peo-
pie. She won't tell you much
about her own discomfort. She
is more anxious to tell Of the les
sons she learned during this
tragic time-lessons of vital i'm
portance to the future happiness
and very lives of the men and
women Of her country.
A descendant of one of Massa-
chusetts' oldest families, Mrs.
Bates-Batcheller has spent much
of her life abroad. Many of her
friends in Washington she met
In Europe during happier times.
Now in the Capital, Mrs. Bates
Batcheller has been extensively
entertained since her arrival here
her first visit in 10 years. It
was during her last visit that she
presented to the Library of Con-
gress a rare collection of original
letters, manuscripts, music by
great composers, autographed
photographs of world-famed fig
ures and other documents of ex-
ceptional value. She hopes to
add to this collection some of the
jewels and papers she was forced
to leave at her home in st. Cloud.
She is quite confident that these
things are safe. They have been
hidden carefully-somew in
France.
In addition to being a success
full author, speaker, poet and
linguist, Mrs. Bates-Batcheller
has a lovely singing voice. She
has sung before many of the
rulers and leaders of other ma
tions.
She is justly proud of her
many decorations. Generalissimo
Chang Kai-shek made her an
officer of the Order of Jade; she
received the Order of Mercy from
His Majesty. King George v of
England; the Order of Alfonso
XII from His Majesty, King AL
fonso XIII of Spain, and the
Order of Elizabeth from His Maj
esty, King Albert of Belgium.
She also holds the Gold Medal of
Special Merit of italian Red Cross
of World War No. l, presented
to her by the president of the
italian Red Cross, Prince Tor
regiani. The Officer of Legion Of
Honor from the government of
France. sponsored by President
Alfred Lebrun, and the Office of
Instruction Publique - highest
Beaux Arts decoration of France
are included among her cita-
tions.
s., The titles OF her books and the
subjects Of her lectures reveal the
breadth of her experience and
her extraordinary knowledge of
European personalities, places
and events. Her latest book, a his
torical novel, tells the story of
the famous Frenchwoman. Marie
de Gonzague, Duchess of Nevers,
who braved all the dangers in
great journey across Europe to
become Queen of Poland. The
book is based on facts that Mrs.
Bates Batcheller spent much
time in researching before writ
ing this fascinating book. One
of the almost miracles in Mrs.
-Batcheller' life is cen
tered about this book, which is
entitled "The Soul of Queen"
When she evacuated from France
she was unable to take any of
her manuscripts with her. Her
notes for her book were left be-
hind, but after many months
some friend in France sent the