The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-21
Sir John Foster Fraser Compares
British and American Virtues and
Faults, Mannerisms, Humor
and Ideas of Each Other

Wero OF btipsn etra1n--you nave only
to read list Of the names Of Presi-
dents-the vast mass of the American
people Of to-day never had any rela-
ton through posterity with England.
How can we expect people OF Ger
man, Scandinavian, Latin and Irish
origin to have any concern with Eng
iand7 Indeed. most Americans with
English names have forgotten the as
ISOLATION Of their ancestry with the old
country, and in recital OF their known
pedigree can often give a criss-cross
OF several nationalities. 1t is this mix
up, with the original Corners being
men OF courage and adventure. which
II making the Americans the wonder
full people they are and cutting them
or from the racial traits Of Europe,
and particularly those Of England.
Climate and environment have had an
increasing effect on the character Of
the people.
Blessed with an amazingly fecund
land. the Americans draw very salts
factory conclusions when comparing
what their conditions would have been
in England or Germany or Ireland or
Sweden and ascrfbe their prosperity
to their institutions, though / think
the Almighty has much to do with the
fertility OF the soil. The American
people are generous in good impulses.
II you cannot get what you desire by
appealing to an Americans mind, II
you appeal to his heart you have q
winner" every time.
rh.s- rr-~-Lu <I-ss.
I ind suspicion among Ameri-
cans that Englishmen put an airs,
are unnecessarily conceited, cold In
manner. and Americans resent the air
of superiority which the Briton AFFECTS.
So often the American approaches the
Englishman with what he himself
would call "a chip on his shoulder"
on the lookout for some deprecatory
observation, maybe an ill-hidden sheer
against Americans which he won't
stand for"
This is unfortunate, for It has a
double ill-consequence. The English-
man Is quite conscious OF the attitude,
and, though he can be as rude as any
body else when he tries. the tendency
Is. though a genial, talkative enough
fellow under ordinary circumstances,
to be a, double guard against saying
anything which might offend Ameri-
can Representatives,. Accordingly,
though he may not agree with what
Is being said. he keeps quiet rather
than express an opinion which could
be interpreted as a criticism.
Americans are frank; but their very
frankness is often challenge to the
foreign visitor, to which he cannot
reply without giving offence. There
fore, he is reserved. thought to be dull,
often he Is trying to avoid playing
the gentle game Of retaliation.
For instance. I have several times
noticed at casual dinner tables the
joke OF telling stories about Englirh
stupidity for my benefitA-quite good
stories. The other night I followed
: up three such stories by an English
story about American manners-the
| devil prompted me-but the iciness
Of the air told me plainly my story
was not appreciated sometimes
| wonder who invent these international
stories. AS pictures OF national char
acter they are invariably wrong: The
Englishman Is not always stupid, the
American Is not invariably vulgar;
the Scotsman is not the embodiment
Of stinginess. I know Englishmen
who are vulgar, Americans who are
stupid and even Scotsmen the soul OF
| generosity. We might have a "close
time" on international jokes.
| A Weakness OF All Nations.
Does the Englishman put on airs
To be honest on this point, thinl
Il In true there Is a mannerism abou
the Englishman which is offensive &c
people of other lands. There Is an
apparent affectation OF speech, and. a.
Thacxeray once called It, a don't care
q damn attitude toward the rest o,
the world which jars. can say this
because, after being away from my
own country for several years, mofs
or less roughing 1t in out of the way
corners OF the earth. / returned Il
London to experience exactly the sam,
feeling that know many Americans
have In the presence of Englishmen
know, however, that 1t was no NOR,
than a mannerism.
AS It is q national weakness amonf
all peoples the world throughout, tn,
Englishman may be forgiven for be
lieving England is the greatest coun
try in the world. He does not sa,
so; but he has Just as much nationa
conceit as has the American. Oui
attitude that It is bad form" I,
praise ourselves or to mention wha
We have done Is very much a pose
II we searched our own hearts thinl
we would have to admit that we lool
upon restrained language as a I'm.
fitting cloak Of dignity.
We wear that cloak, and, fancy
sometimes impress Americans with II
The English are proud OF their trad
tons. and in their minds really d
! consider themselves the superior c
} other people. And so do the Ameri
cans. But as the American is as ope
: as boy in telling us about what
; fine chap he is, does he not often fee
annoyed that the Englishman FIRE
quently displays only a yawning In
terest. which is Just evidence OF /
suppressed English jealousy OF Amer
{ lea? More than once q candid frien
has asked me: SIS England jealou
Of American" Most certainly she
, not; but admit that may be just he
pig headed self-satisfaction that 18th
noblest handiwork of God n an Enl
lisbman,"
Are we cold and standoffish, turnin
a chill countenance to the affab
stranger7 We must plead guilty {
| that charRe Climate has got miic