The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-21


II he anyway" As matter OF fact
he IL usually nice man who feels
himself surrounded by shyness which
he cannot break through. though he
would like to. I've met Americans in
Pullman cars who have told me about
themselves, their business. how much
they are spending on erecting q new
plant, narrate with pride what the son
has done at college, and tell me what
q great artistic has said about the
daughters piano playing, all with a
genial spontaneity which Is charming
to listen to. An Englishman cannot
do that. You win travel from New
York to San Francisco with him, and
while he will talk about general at
fairs he Is reticent about his family
affairs. This is not because It is none
of your business" but because he can
not possibly realize how the house he
has on the Thames or what his son
did during the war can have the slight
est interest to the stranger.
Hospitality in New York.
Few men have had moro convince
ing experience OF warm hearted hos
pitality than I have had In New York.
Temporary membership OF half q
dozen best clubs, invitations to lunches,
dinners and week END parties from
people upon whom had not the
slightest claim--and all springing, I
knew, from the generous desire to give
the visitor q good time. Often I've
felt ashamed at allowing myself to ac-
cept 30 much kindness, for Mt the back
OF my thoughts Ia the knowledge how
an American Is treated In London. He
will present q letter OF Introduction:
but his reception will be so formal
and precise that he win sometimes
wish he had not come. Perhaps he
will be invited to lunch on Tuesday
next at the Devonshire Club. but he
will feel he Is being invited as q kind
OF compulsory courtesy ana not be-
cause the Englishman wants him. It
Is a thousand to one against being
made an honorary member Of club;
that Is a thing rarely done In Egland.
though the custom grew during the
war.
The American, unless he Is in o Pc
culiar position, will have the cold hand
of welcome extended to him; very
possibly he will be left much to his
own devices: the curves and the no.
menclature of the streets and the diff
ferent ways things are done in Lon
don will not be happy; SO he may hy
away feeling just tinge Of bitterness
at the inhospitality and uncongenial-
ity of the British. For that we Brit
ish are entirely to blame, and were
any more than an ordinary Britisher
would feel called upon to apologize.
Yet I am glad TO know that Ameri-
cans who come over to England and
get to really know us like us. Though
we are not effusive to the stranger.
do not hail the fellow who has just
blown in as the man whom we have
been most anxious to see, do not radi-
ate our joyfulness, am sure that
/ the visiting American, after he has
cracked the first bit of ice, likes our
quiet and, trust, sincere ways, sees
there Is something in the cosey init
macy of English home life that is
worth cultivating, and. when he is
staying in the Englishman's house, he
appreciates that while no fuss is being
made over him, no affairs especially
arranged for his entertainment, he is
treated as a member Of the family
and he begins to understand that
while there Is no effusivenes the bud
Of friendship Is blossoming into q real
| flower. Yes, we British are not very
amiable companions at the start Of an
acquaintanceship; but like to believe
that those Americans who know US
best like us best.
once heard q wit say that liberty,
equality and fraternity represented
the characteristics OF France, Amer
lea and England; France had neither
liberty nor fraternity, but It did be-
lieve In equality; America really had
neither liberty nor equality, but II
was the home OF fraternity; England
didn't believe in equality and resented
fraternity, but II insisted ON liberty
I am only entitled to speak about
England, and believe the description
is accurate.
Some snobbishness Admitted.
We do not believe that everybody
is as good as his neighbor. Some OF
US do SILVER when a stranger ad-
dresses us with the familiarity of @
brother. Perhaps some OF us are in.
clined to be snobbish. But we are not
always bowling to the nobility, as
seems to be the impression among
many Americans. II I may say &C
with smile, we are much less con.
cerned with the ways lords behave
than. 70 judge from questions put ant
articles 1 read, are the Americans
themselves. And English narquises
are not wicked, as in the story books
and English lords do not all marry
chorus girls, as in the Sunday news
papers.
n The English aristoeracy is not al
effete class. and 1t certainly is not &
rich class. Our rich people are oul
plutocrats. the magnates OF industr,
or city finance. The English arts
tocracy, many OF ancient family ant
taking a pride in their history, be
long to "the great unpaid" The!
recognise their responsibility and tn,
mass OF them devote their time I,
good work, administrative, charitable
engaged in every educational, arts
tic, literary advancement and quit
understand the duty of showing
fine example--the kind OF thing whicl
receives little recognition In the news
papers.
,, Many Americans conclude that W
, cannot be democratic SO long az w
, allow ourselves to be dominated b.