The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-12-17
HE STINGS Topeka
British Author Who Spoke
Here, Tells of DiscOurtesy.
Harold Spender Writes on Bad
Manners at G. of G.
BUSINESS MEN ARE TOO BUSY
Chatter of Dining Room Re-
scented by a Former Guest.
In Trip Thru U. S. Topeka Was
His First Disappointment.

The bad manners of the Topekans
who consume their daily provender at
the Chamber of Commerce lunch has
become q subject of international
note. The scandal has become topic
for discussion in the press and litera-
ture of foreign countries. From the
viewpoint of a member OF a more
ancient civilization than our own. the
Chamber Of Commerce members who
calmly continued to eat their lunches
while invited speakers attempted to
make themselves heard above the
clatter of dishes and the ciamor of
conversation, constitute subject Tor
marvelling and censure.
When Harold Spender, British au-
thor, publisher, and soldier, visited
America in November, 1920, he made
a flying tour of the United States be-
fore his return to Great Britain.
Slender came to the United States as
a member of the Pilgrim Tercentenary
celebration committee from England.
He visited Topeka and other cities
of the middle west. True to the ira
ditions of the travelling Briton, he
wrote to the papers a series Of letters
during his trip. The letters were pub
lfshed in the London Telegraph.
When Spender returned to England
they were published in book form.
The book has just been printed, and
an autographed copy has Deen sent
by the author to Mr.. and Mrs A. E.
Van Petten, who, with MIR. and Mrs.
D. W. Mulvane, were hosts to the
British author during his stay here.
Spender was invited to speak at the
Chamber of Commerce luncneon. and
in the chapter of his book which he
devotes to Topeka. he has the follow
ing to say about the incident:
"Of course, Topeka has a luncheon
club-run by the Topeka Chamber OF
Commerce-and we had scarcely be-
gun to unpack before we were rushed
off to address this club. The club
was lunching in a large, low-ce11ng
room. full of small tables and crowded
with hungry business men. They were
all eating hard and making a tremen-
dous clatter with their knives and
forks.
First American DiscOurtesy.
I'm the midst of all the clatter, an
American Red Cross lady arose and
made a five-minute speech on behalf
of the work that the American Red
Cross is still doing for the starving
children in Central Europe. To my
great astonishment the whole room
went on Gathering; the negroes passed
to and fro without any abatement of
noise; the rattle and talk scarcely
diminished. 1t was the first scene of
diScourtesy which we have witnessed
since we landed in America, and we
were gravely perturbed. The dis
courtesy seemed to be intended not so
much for the lady speaker as for un-
happy Europe. For the first time
certain anger began to rise within one
There seemed a touch of the insolence
of prosperity about this behavior"
Thus. Spender finds that the dis
courtesy of the members of the To-
cha m har of Commerce is the
straw which broke the cameFs back
of his British tolerance. He pro
ceeds:
"The Red Cross ladies took the
treatment with inexhaustib1e serenity,
and patiently finished their almost
unheard speeches. Then Mr.. Van
Petten called upon me. I rose and
remained standing without uttering
word. until from sheer curiosity some
of the lunchers began to put down
their knives and forks and turned to
look towards me. Having thus
achieved some slight degree of quiet.
I told them very slowly and gently
that I could not address them unless
they could make a choice between their
food and their European visitor. I
am sure that they intended no dis
courtesy, because they now began to
be quite attentive. But a certain
flaming anger on behalf of Europe
still possessed me Those Red Cross
ladies, after all. had spoken for our
continent and ! could not at once for
get the way they had been treated. SO
very deliberately, I took out my wal
let. and slowly extricated a very dirty
dollar note which was by a happy
chance therein.
ION the exchange said slowly.
this is worth more to me than to you.
But as these ladies have remembered
us will give if to them So stood
holding it out till one of the ladies
tripped cheerfully across the room
and smiliugly accepted it for the use