WINDOWS OF THE WORLD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 224, 21 September 1935, Page 17

WINDOWS OF THE WORLD.

International Scenes and Affairs.

THE NEWS BEHIND THE NEWS.

Copyright—"Chicago Tribune" and "New York News" Services.

AMERICAN INVASION.

THE RUSH TO PARIS. UNEQUALLED SINCE 1930. PARIS, August 12. "The Americans have returned." Tliis news has been broken to the Parisian public in a tone of jubilation. Not since 1930 has there been such a rush of Americans abroad. Not that this invasion is like the annual summer one of the boom years —say, 1924 through 1929 —when all afternoon there seemed no seats at the Cafe de la Paix except for Americans, when for them the champagne was flowing in the night clubs, when, in the babel of languages in the artists' haunts of Montparnasse, the American accent rose above all others. Those were heavenly days for the Parisian hotelkeeper, jeweller, dressmaker, entertainment provider. Americans would pay any price for they were getting many francs for their dollar. (The least was 2;" i for 1 dollar and sometimes it was much more.) Even an American could go broke of course, especially if he had a thirst for champagne and you making him pay 250 francs for a bottle not worth 75. What of it? When one letter of credit went dry, a dozen more would take its place.

Nothing like tliat is happening this year, nor does any sane Frenchman think it likely to happen again. Just the same, in the condition into which French business has fallen, ho is glad to see the colour of any foreign money. The tourist trade "was an important part of the national economy, and the American tourist was the best prize of all. As a total, the British spent more in France than Americans, but the total had to be extracted in little bits from modest "trippers." The American dispensed witli a lavish improvident hand.

I The American tourist to Paris in 1035 is different. He could hardly be called a penny pincher, but ho has learned to be careful. Probably he is on an exact budget and he wants to get the maximum from it. He realises, too, that now he is getting only 15 francs for each dollar and that French prices have not fallen in proportion to the exchange.

Hotelkeepers, ■ managers of tourist agencies, all those in a position to observe, agree that the American in 1033 has a quite different spirit to the American abroad in 1029. His being careful with his money is only one sign that he is serious. His trip to Europe is an investment for which he expects returns. It is not, as it was for many of luis predecessors, one wild party. He has come to see and reflect, not to drink and dance.