The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-09-27
Observations
Closed French
Embassy Soon to
be Opened
BY Helen Essary

~
So the French embassy is going
TO be swept and polished up once
again. Good. Since November,
1912. when the last Vichy ambas-
sador, Henri-Haye, was sent home
by this government, the buf-color-
ed chateau in the grove OF trees
overlooking the Taft bridge and
Rock Creek has been closed tight
and in the care OF the neutral
Swiss legation.
The State Department has said
that the French National Commit
tees United States representative
in washington, Henri Hoppenot,
may now occupy the embassy. The
French committee has been occu-
pying the residence on Massachu-
setts Ave. where the last German
ambassador to the United States,
Hans Dieckoff, lived. Big houses
In Washington switch personalities
and nationalities without a back
ward glance.
The French embassy was former
ly the home of John Hays Ham
mond. a successful soldier Of for
tune OF so years ago. Hammond
was born in California. Wandered
through the Far East, searched and
found gold in Mexico and in South
America and did a rushing bust
ness with diamonds and gold with
Cecil Rhodes and the Beers in
South Africa.
Many OF the relics of Hammond's
adventures are now stored In the
attic OF the embassy. The present
furnishings OF the embassy are
typically French-inlaid mahogany
in the style OF the Louis'-Gobe'
lin tapestries, petit point and Au'
busson carpets.
AMERICAN MANUFACTURERS
are being criticized because they
have not taken advantage OF the
occupation of France and learned
to make the wines, fine jeweiry and
fine whatnots generally.
Why do you suppose United
States manufacturers have not
taken this trade advantage OF
France? Principally, because this
country sent millions of men over
seas to fight in strange countries.
IL sent the best brains and the best
strength il had to fight for the re-
lease OF the manufacturers OF
France and the rest OF the NaZi-
infested world
Quoting one personal experience
Il waited six months for ring
ordered at one of the biggest jew
elry firms in the United States. Not
that the waiting was important.
But the reason for the waiting was
important.
| give IL as a reply to the critics
who wonder why we have not i'm
proved our trade and our manufac-
turers during the war. I'VE have
only one fine craftsman left out OF
a staff of so. The rest are doing
delicate jobs in war production
plants or fghting" At the begin
ming this was a war of ideals-we
were going to save mankind-for-
evermofe. Remember?
I've just thought OF something
else that makes me mad-it's the
existence of those three million
bottles OF the very best champagne
stored away in cellars in France.
The French generally seem mighty
fat and sassy after the German
occupation. Naturally, no one
would be vulgar enough to suggest
that those three million bottles at,
say IS bottle, be turned in as say
SIS 900. 900 on the war debt.
/ have no sons TO be in the war.
have husband in the Navy and
a daughter in the Army, both still
strong and well, thank heaven.
But when / see the young men
friends of my daughters struggling
back-those who have lived TO
come back-ill with miserable few
ers, wounded in flesh and spirit
bitterness mingles with pride In
our part in this war.
A MAN I KNOW says his attic
back home is damned with the
uniforms worn by the military men
in his family during the past war.
He says the military men still
cherish the uniforms. So spring
after spring. his unfortunate moth.
er searches trunks bullying with
khaki, Navy blue and gold braid for
moths.
And generally finds a new and
happier family OF the vicious little
insects.
When asked my friend what he
thought ought to be done with the
discarded uniforms OF this war. he
said, Send them off somewhere
and let that new tangled machinery
chew them up into rugs" No pa
I'll H.