Paris, Dec. 8.
As in other countries, the war has produced various manifestations of xenophobia in France. They do not assume any acute or violent form, but they all tend towards putting protective walls round everything French, so as to prevent any share from falling into the grasp of foreigners, In the early part of the war we saw a good many able-bodied neutrals, and even allies, going about freely and doing good business while Frenchmen were engaged in the dangerous work of defending their country, and the recollection of this spectacle undoubtedly has a great deal to do with the present attitude towards foreigners. The general sentiment is expressed by that very widely circulated journal, the "Petit Parisien," in an article by M. Maurice Prax, who says that in quite a number of countries barriers are raised against Frenchmen who endeavour to carry on business. France, he remarks, does not intend to be treated as a sort of desert land over which anyone can travel at will. It is a large and beautiful house, open to all the friends of France, but also a house with doors, the keys of which must sometimes be turned. France cannot go on receiving people who show her the door in their own homes.
These are the legitimate sentiments"of the landowner who is willing to throw open his park to the public so long as the public does not do too much damage to his property. France is a stronghold of order and respect for individual rights, Any anti-foreign measures which she may take will be inspired first and foremost by a determination to keep out Bolshevism. The Chamber has even gone so far og to pass a Bill under which no foreigner may buy real estate or lease property for more than nine years without obtaining permission from, the authorities. As this measure has been made retractive and therefore may infringe on'treaty rights, it is not likely to-be accepted by the Senate, but the Chamber, in voting such a Bill, has given a good indication of the. national conviction that there are too many foreigners in France.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.