| Show no room abroad for sightseers admonition to americans who contemplate touring the battlefields LONDON EVEN NOW CROWDED those who think of going are ad to be sure of quarters be fore starting are planning to make trip now york americans who bontem plate visiting the battlefields in eu rope next spring or summer will be well advised to secure their hotel accommodation vi ell in advance or to postpone their journey until conditions are more favorable percy S bull en treasurer of the association of for eign press representatives in the ted states who has just returned to new york says that london ev en now cannot find room for visitors aind that the state of affairs when the floodgates flood gates of tourist invasion are again open will be appalling unless the intending american visitors are forewarned and therefore forearmed it s estimated that some persons one for each man sent to europe by the united states during the war are making plans for n transatlantic trip in the next two years their chief object Is to see the historic spots where the american soldiers fought the argonne forest chateau thierry Th lerry st and to devote such a period to a visit to eng land as time and funds will permit sir bullen has been all over the western front during the last few weeks and he predicts nothing but anger irritation and despair as the lot of any victors who trust to luck to secure hotel accommodations no steps yet taken the difficulty of the situation will be realized when it Is remembered that the usual flow of tourists to europe has been completely suspended during the war and that only those among the wealthiest will have tha first chance of securing lintel accod mod atlon when the bars against tourist travel shall have been removed so far no steps whatsoever have been taken abroad to meet an unusual influx of visitors mr bullen was so impressed with the difficulty threatened in london that he prepared a memorandum on the subject which lie submitted at a recent meeting of the royal colonial institute in london in the which ensued it was proposed that steps be taken for the formation in london of a national committee of reception As a nucleus of the organization it was proposed that representatives of the various anglo american should meet with power to add to their number various representatives eliose experience would be useful in solving the problem now presented such persons mould include members of the amerl can chamber of commerce in london and americans besides lending Britis hers plan suggested the fart essential step Is to mobilize and list all available accommodation bi hotels and board ing houes and then enlist the assist ance of every householder willing to place a room af the disposal of the committee of reception it this plan matures london will keep la touch with isea ork on the question of accommodations and people in the ted states will be adisek as to the best to travel and the chances of accommodation at reasonable rates at the time mr bullen left alv nothing actually had been done except to call attention to the problem and the dissatisfaction which will ensue it american to england and I 1 ranee next bear find absolutely stranded as Is threatened belgium Is apparently will able to lale care of to the belgian battlefields mainly because cypres ypres and the much battered coast towns are all within easy range of ostend kruges and ghent of all ohp battlefields melted mr bullen declares 1 pres Is the most devastated but with its memories of heroic fight ng extending from cypres ypres down the mennen and roads ls beautiful in its ruins ostend la probably the best center for automo bile parties and the burgomaster of ostend Is one of the few men ang to deal with an unexampled de mand for hotel accommodations |
