Paris, Tuesday 8-2-49
Dear Lenore,
It is raining this morning for the first time since I have been in Europe. The crops here in France are dry, the streets have been dusty and the temperature close to 90 degrees ever since I arrived. I welcome the rain as I am sure most of France does.
Paris is a great city, - full of grandeur and squalor, great beauty in the midst of much uglyness [sic], - a deeply religious place nestled in the most universal debauchery I have seen. The
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moral code in Europe is a different thing from that at home and the attitude here in France requires a lot of understanding. In Germany there is an extreme surplus of women and they are hungry. Moreover they throughout the war were encouraged to have children, they still tacitly are encouraged to rebuild the nations manpower. Many things are over looked.
Here the naked female form is idolized, worshipped
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one might say, but woman's place is not a high one as a whole. There are so many of them, competition is so keen, and extra marital relationships from kings to commoner such a part of France's history and present thinking that a stranger has a difficult time establishing just where the values lie. Certainly it would be unwise to attempt it in a few days.
I have gone about the business of crowding in
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as much of Paris as possible in a few days, largely thru organized tours. In this way one gets a birds eye view of the overall picture. It is too much to take in detail for it covers the history of Europe in all its aspects but it does give one a lot of material for future reading and thinking. Some day we must see this place together.
Charlie
Find enclosed my programme so far. Please save it.
C.