The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-22
FHospitable Parisians Hide
 EAdversity From Yank Guests
By ROeETTE HARGROvE MA Stan Correspondent

eeAS fA~N-S antly surprised when they return to the city today. Outwardly, Paris tg practically unscathed.' There seem to be no striking changes in the homes they once knew.
 The women still appear to be chic. The children seem to have good care. Tanks who have been invited to share a meal with . French family have come away in- yariably convinced that Parisians dtin eat well.
 There is a very simple explana- tion for this. The Frenchwoman Is even prouder than the French man. After four years of occupa- ton and privations, no French woman would allow her friends, or even chance acquaintances from overseas, to guess at the thousand diflculties with which she daily had been obliged to contend.
 Ever since the liberation of France, and this Is especially true of Paris. too many snap judg- ments have been made by soldiers of the Allied forces who have been invited to French homes. All have exclaimed about the excel- lent meals they have eaten and only too naturally concluded that Che shortage of food in France must surely by a myth.
 DIP INTO NATIONS
 They knew too little about the customs of the country to realize the extent of ingenuity and trou- ble to which their hostess had resorted in order to produce this meal Tn the first place. 1t Is more than likely she dug deep into her iron rations and reserves which had been carefully saved over a long period for just such as occa- sion. Tn the second place, she never would have extended the invitation without being sure she would be able to receive them as in the old days. That is why every meal a stranger shares with French family Is always good
 Today, months after liberation there are few hostesses who can give dinner party There arc no more reserves and all the iror rations have been eaten up. Ex- cept for a very small minority of privileged people who own country homes and can bring into the city a certain amount of farm produce such as butter, eggs meat and cheese, the majority of house wives for the last months have had to rely on current rations which are definitely insufficient There are many well-to-do people thcGe days whose evening meal con1iSts of very thin soup and potatoes. They eat precious little more than that at noon.
 The reason for this is that the activities of the Black Market have been considerably curtailed ately by the exceptionally rigor- ous weather and also by a tight ening of control. Furthermore quite number of Black Market restaurants have been closed by the government, so that even peo. pie who could afford to pay $2( a. head for a meal have a hart time finding one and now TUT added risk of being fined if tht place is raided by the police.
 STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE
 The average Frenchwoman's life has changed considerably with tho war. Not only must she often as surne all the responsibility of bring. irg up a family due to the ab- seace of her husband who is eithel a prisoner of war or who under the occupation, was deported tC Germany or obliged to join tn, maquis" she was faced witt untold difficulties in the mere strug' gle for existence.
 These difficulties have not dis appeared with the liberation Women still have to stand in lin for meat. bread and vegetables Many household chores have {, be done at the end of the da, because there is electric light onl. from 5 D. m. to a. m., with the ex ception of one hours current a midday which is barely suf1icien to prepare meal.
 ART OF MAKE-DO
 Soap is as scarce as butter an largely mixture Of chalk an sand. Cleaning products such a polishes are practically non-e exist ent. Wornout pots and pans can not be replaced. Dry-cleaners tax from eight to ten weeks to clean suit or dress. The problem Of keep ing a family's wardrobe in orde is an acute one,
 Despite the difficulties, French women contrive to look neat an well cared-for, from the littl midinette to the middle clas housewife. You hear little re crimination. On the contrar! they arc inclined to feel prout and justifiably so, about the wa in which they overcome their dii faculties. Always thrifty, they di not need war and four years ( mass requisitioning to teach ther the art of make-do-and-mend.