The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-10-23
YANKEES NOT LIKED
Oxford Man Finds Fault with
Rhodes Students.
CRITICISM IN THE DAILY MAIL
Indictment Against Americans
Serious One-Writer Holds They
Are Reucent-Each side seeks 10
Find Something WrOng-EngIish-
man Fails to Enthuse.

London. Oct. 22.-The difficulties in
reaching a general understanding between
the American and the English people are
exemplihed In significant fashion at Ok
ford
column OF criticism of the American
Rhodes students at the university ap-
peared in yesterdays Daily Mail from
the pen OF An oxford Man" He
charges that the Cecil Rhodes beouest
is abused and that the spirit Of the
wishes OF the great empire builder is
disregarded by his American beneficial.
r!es
He takes from Oxford everything
that she has 10 give and withholds from
her anything that may be in his power
10 give. the correspondent says. The
American In Oxford seeks 10 know
nothing OF his English surroundings and
fellow undergraduates. nor 10 impart any
or the ideas and opinions OF his own
country.
From the first moment of his arrival
til the time OF his departure, the Amer
lean Rhodes scholar makes friends only
with his compatriots lie might. indeed.
just as well be back in America for all
the good he does 10 himself or to Ok
ford. d"
Sought Worlds Peace.
It is perfectly true thai the root idea
of Mr.. RhOdes's scheme was 20 promote
a close understanding between England
the United States and Germany which
would secure the peace OF the world.
The indictment against the American
students Is therefore a serious one
But there Is at least the other side
OF the story and IL Is presented In part
by another OXOnian in to-days issue OF
the same journal He explains that he
knows not only Americans, but these
Americans, and knowing them finds Il
impossible 20 accept the critics view of
the matter. He says:
Who Are You.
7 recall inevitably an incident OF lust
six years ago. On the first night of term
there comes into the han of this college
a large and typical middle Westerner, a
freshman. \ group OF men are gathered
round the fire. To them advances the
American, and with Il simple dfrectness
wholly transatlantic. I'm Smith, says
he Who are YOU?
A stare is the only welcome vouch-
safed 10 this advence. They are senior
men. The freshman (who happens in this
case TO be also the stranger at the gate)
has had his lesson.
Now / should not for a moment ad-
vance this story as typical Of the atti-
tude of the Britsher 10 the American.
IL Is nothing of the sort. Ii is Of course
typical Of something quite different-of
the traditional attitude of senior men 10
freshmen. Stin It represents a kind of
experience through which the American
In his first term has frequently 10 pass"
Something 10 CritIcIse.
The writer goes on 10 point out: Each
side fnds something 10 eritieise in the
other-and the same something. Each
thinks the other unresDonsive TO adj
vances.
The English undergraduate cat least
as he appears in the pages of the Daily
Maip accuses the American Of retiring
into his shell, while the American Is all
the time conscious only OF a great de-
sire 10 arrive at some real intimacy with
his English fellow-student and OF finding
himself bahled by English 'formality'
and emotional repression. And this is
instructive. Il reminds as that the prob
lem is one OF the solutions OF which
something more must so than mere pass
i've good will
There can be no talk where so much
Is IN common Of failure TO solve. The
conditions Of solution are already there
But the difference Of education, Of sur
rOundings of tradition and OF outlook do
contribute 10 the situation and do help
20 complicate the problem"
The average Englishman fails TO loosen
up or enthuse during early acquaintance.
His friendly advances are not OF the
spontaneity and cordiality OF the West
erner, but his tentative friendliness means
as much as, often more than the warmth
OF his American cousin.
But II takes a long time TO find this
out. hence the partial failure Of the OK
ford experiment.