New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-04-26
DIsCOURTESY TO SPEAKERS
An Englishmans Opinion of Some
Englishmen.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: The st. Georges Society OF New
York, or at any rate a very objectonaole
element of the organization, again dis
tinguished itself last night by the offensive
treatment TO which 1t subjected men y.
national and International note VINO had
Kindly consented to speak at It's annual
banquet Despite its popular pres!oeh'
energetic efforts the British Ambassaoor'
who had come to- New York at consioer-
able Inconvenience to attend the dlnher'
was rudely interrupted toward the close
Of his eloquent speech. William TraVers
Jerome. former District Attorney, VINO st
the last minute had been persuaded WIN
considerable difficulty to speak IN tle
place Of Chief City Magistrate Wiiiiam
McAdoo, prudentiy absent through tenn
porary indsposition, was subjected 70 sun
more unmannery behavior. IL was wen
nigh impossiblc TO hear the remarks OF
Major General Frederick d. Grant, COM
manding the Department OF the East
owing TO the loud conversation IN progress
among people at the tables at the further
erd of the room, while more than half OF
those present. and fortunately the unruly
,
one Of the most graceful and most pol
ished after dinner speakers in New Aorh'
had uttered more than few words.
The Hon. Frederick W. NhitridGe an"
ether public men have undergone similar
experience in previous years at Inc ~.
Georges banouets, which have acquired
so unenviable a reputation for the treat
ment of distinguished guests, and especially
of the speakers. that IL is becoming more
difficult every year to find persons Wiling
to expose themselves to the rudeness
which so often falls to their share II they
accent an invitation 10 speak at these
dinners.
Tho 81. Georges Society is fortunately
not a social organization, but purely
charitable body, which as such authi's
Rritons of every class and OF every preed'
nrovided they are willing 10 contribute
s1O n wear to the relief Of their destitute
co,ntrymen-and charity covers multi
tuds of sins even those Of vulgarity'
such as that displayed at the st. George
dinner last night
Certain classes of Americans regarded as
Objectionable In their own country oc-
casionally furnish ground for imputatiohs
of vulgarity on the part OF the uii-
travelled F.nglishman who happens TO en-
counter them abroad. But the most vui-
gay American Is head and shoulders
superior in manliness to the lower middle
class Briton, who was SO much 10 the
fore at the ST. Georges dinner yesterday
evening. causing his countrymen shame
and disgust. In fact, there Is nothing III
the wide world more indescribably vulgar
than the Briton Of this underbred CLASS
II write to you, sir, on the SUBJECT II
is to epde avor to explain to countrymeh
az mine that the guests who are Kiho
enough to consent TO speak for the ST.
Georges Society confer great favor
upon the latter. which IL too often re-
emitted with such discourtesy as that or
las; night 1t is also to ask your country
men. our American friends. especially
those who honored us with their presence
last night, not TO judge the most userui
and worthy st. Georges Society by those
M its member who are insuireraDie
"bounders" and who, being in the MINOR
itv endeayor. like all minorities. to rem
der themselves conspicuous and to attract
attention by their noise.
DISGUSTED ENGLISHMAN.
New York, April o. 1911.