New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-02
ON FOREIGN MANNERS
German Courtesy Much More in
Evidence than English.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: 1t is with great interest that read
each day the letters in your paper written
by persons Of many opinions, and all equally
certain of their statements.
Before the sinking of the Lusitania ] was
told by lady with whom was talking that
was the first really neutral person she had
met With the sinking of the Lusitania my
feelings swung, not away from the German
people, but away from the Kaiser and what
he stands for. OF course, we all sympathized
with the Belgians from the first and the
name of Albert, King Of the Belgans, thrills
the heart of every man, but we failed TO give
the really glorious French nation the praise
~ deserved. To-day, as always, France IS the
best friend We have among the nations.
As for England and the English, | have
never been enthusiastic over them. They,
one and all, patronize Americans and ridieue
US, though the English are not entirely
blameless in the matter, by any means for
the silly way in which Americans have TOO
often aped the English and sought their "a
vors has been anything but a credit 20 Us as
HdbLOHs soy bhAo ~ 81 +Nt.-'-f~--'
American Of the tenth generation Of New
England ancestry, all Of whose ancestors
Of pure English stock, came during the FIRST
twenty or thirty years Of the settlement o.
the Massachusetts, Bay Colony.
From the very fact that am Of pure Eng
lish blood comes the fact that l cannot en-
Gure the patronizing of the natives Of Eng
land toward us. (Of course, just az present
The English want our sympathy and support
and probably are somewhat less airy tow
ard Americans.) When this terrible war IS
over the best thing that could happen 70 Eng
land would be for real Americans 20 sbso'
lutely ignore English people until they treat
US as courteously as they do their own peo-
ple.
As for Germany, one Of the happiest sum
mers of my life | spent two years ago in tna'
beautiful country, and came 70 know mt.
mately some very dear German friends VI
course, we know the Germans table manners
our servants have better manners thsn
those one sometimes sees among high Dorm
Germans-and their manners toward women
are as crude as are the Englshmans It may
exceedingly fine set of German gentlemen
but to me their manners with each other and
to me were so exceedingly superior mat 10"
even the manners of Southern gentlemen, |ho
have the finest manners among Americans
seem lacking.
In Germany I've known what IL was 70
have young naval oficer-we we're DOLE
staying at the same watering place come i0f'
ward and salute ne, tell me his name, and say
it would be great pleasure TO know me- In''
gentleman afterward told me he saw was 81
American and a stranger, and as IermS"
gentleman he felt it a privilege 20 Sho"
courtesy TO a foreign gentleman. In Ams
lean watering places corresponding 20 '"',
small and select German resort I've iouHD
that American gentlemen, if they SPEAK ~
all, only do so in a guarded and lnqu!s'''s
way to find out il possible, il il IS OF any
advantage TO them to know one.
Moreover, have entered German e'u'
and within less than ten minutes every gen
tleman there has, as a matter OF eoure'"
asked TO be presented 20 me. I've Ah0"1
what it is in American clubs, even as
bueS'' " stdHu ten minutes Va w." II
with American gentlemen all about me- Sn'
not one venture a word Of even common oo-'
tesy to- me. Unfortunately, we Americans S''
Germanys crudities but not our own.
The only gentleman in Germany VINO ~,
ever rude TO me was Prussan, and, Dy 'D'
way, about the handsomest man / ever S-
1t took him one hour 70 make up MS MS
10 request presentation TO "the American,
and then he addressed me in French,
though | afterwsrd learned he spoke L"s
lish, but would not utter a word OF the n.'''
language. HERR AMERlhA'
Dark Hsrbor, Ma, IRlY %. 1915.