Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 309, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 December 1919 — YANKS ARE MAKING GOOD IN FRANCE [ARTICLE]

YANKS ARE MAKING GOOD IN FRANCE

Have Not "Americanized" Country, but Meet Success in Business. SOME HAVEBECOMEWEALTHY Several Thousand Discharged America* Soldiers Remained in, France to Try Their Fortunes— News- '* paper Men Land on-Feet. Paris— Several thousand discharged American soldiers who remained in France to try their fortunes are faring as must fare-all pioneers. A few have become- reasonably wealthy; some are “reporting progress;” the majority, however, are flying rather lower than they were when they set out to '‘Americanize France.” Nearly 9.000 American expeditionary force men were released here, and it estimated a fourth of these have settled down to -Work here. The others ajre visiting-, sightseeing or have gone home after a discouraging look at business prospects. ~ ’"t Several hundred found employment with large concerns, chiefly American firms preparing to do business in devastated regions.. Another group took various small places to pay their way while studying. The majority, it was said, started to make good’ by capitalizing “American methods. But most of them agtee that easy money Is not one of Jjte natural resources of France, but a few have proved that it is. A negro made francs (normal value. $25,000) buying and ceiling army and navy supplies at Brest. His case is vouched for by a well-known American commercial executive, . , Chicago Press Club Driver Wins. The most striking success reported is that of “the fox-trot kkigs of Paris,” •8 they term themselves, Gerald Kiley, who drove the Chicago Press club ambulance, and Harold Fitch of St. Paul, who was at the wheel of one of Mrs. W. K. Vanderbilt’s ambulances and later went tothefront. Kiley and Fitch, the former said, got their start over here when the wife of an American banker “pressed 500 francs (about $100) on us" when they played in a three-man xjazz band at a dance «he gave. They’ organized a Wilfeon welcome ball at ti leading hotel when the president arrived in Paris and netted more than 10U00 franc's on the affair. This success, they said, they often duplicated, at “the Dixie club” dances they organized Knowing that good things must not be overworked, the men took over the ice. cream .waking: equipment.. .of the Y. M. CT A., which “has sT" capaclt y of a thousand gallons an hour, and lace in October begun wholesaling “Dixie” .ice’.cream. . - Some of the most interesting of the American ’business experiences here are thdse of men who married French girls. Three, of these are farming east of Paris, “Waking more money than ttoy gyer thought.j-/ in th.United States.” their business adviser said. One man married into a dairy shop. Another returned to his trade of tailoring in the Scores of American boys are in business with their French fathers-in-law.

Rebuilt typewriters, familiar <to Americans, have been introduced to the French by Lieut. J. L. McCann of Tuscaloosa, Ala., and George K. Howard of Pasadena. Chi. Their difficulty is too much business. Isa dore Court, who was a.paperhanger, boldly set himself up ip the decoratiilg business iff' a fashionable suburb. Lieut. S. L. Tyler of Memphis, Tenn., became a merchand I st’ z broker. Harry’ L. Drucker, photographer,'returned to his trade. ■ I One man who wanted to bring in carloads of automobiles and bicycle tires turned detest into success by opening a tire sale and repair shop. Another one' with tlie same idea is awaiting arrival' of a real steam vulcanizing plant to give Paris a taste of fast work. He said virtually all tube repairs hyre now are made with cej meat'patches, instead of ; ■vulcanizing; and take a week instead of’lin hour.

Newspaper men seem to'have, landed on their feet most quickly. Nearly all of those who stayed are developing some “idea” 1 outside of office hours. Ideas for wealth may result in the .establishment of a chain of hotels and restaurants ' along the battle-front towns. One young man who missed tlie American “shine?’ is negotiating a lease for a shoe-shining parlor.'