The Washington times., 1922-08-25

They aren't proud enough of their
republican Institutions, and they are
too proud OF their constitution. Tell
me this" he said, turning almost
belligerenlty upon me, tell me why
Americans are so respectful toward
constitutionalism. They worship
constitutions instead of being a free
people. And they take away their
own freedom in their desire to make
special laws for others.
''The first day | was in New York
! stood at a window watching the
crowds below. AS j looked at the
well-dressed, well-fed citizens of re.
publicanism. was almost ready TO
cry to think of the contrast between
them and the working people at
| home. None of your people are poor
as our people know poverty. There
isn't misery in America as we
have It,"
rs there anything" asked Anna
Wickham, ''in the spiritual heritage
: OF England to make up TO the work
ing people for the lack OF this physi.
cal well-being."
, Don't talk nonsense" he replied.
81 was amazed when went to Wash.
ingtOn and saw Ford cars lined up
along the curbings so close together
that they were all turned at angles
to make room for them. Every man
In Washington seemed to 20 to work
In his own little car. II was very
annoying, too, for a visitor. TX you
had no car I'm Washington you
couldn't get anywhere, because there
IL you stayed with a friend who had
q car. IL was sure to be laid, up in n
hospital for repairs. And sOEOu had
to walk most of the time"
From Ford cars to a discussion of
public schools. which is Mr.. Wells
particular interest, was a short step.
Scores Public Schools.
! "Of course" he said. the public
schools of America are dreadful. They
| are rotten. They should be very fine
| because the idea OF mingling all
classes together is splendid. But the
educational result from the schools
is astonishingly bad. In England the
/ ordinary working man has very lit
tie knowledge On the whole, ne
seems to have the mental age of Il
thirteen-year-o old. But in America,
the same kind of a man seems 10
have the mental age of a nine-year'
old.
II tried to explain to Americans
the differences between caste so
ciety and class society. There IL
apparently no conception in Amer
lea of what caste society means
Why should there be when all they
I know is homogeneous society
with all classes mingling. Every
man in America is a common man
There are rich men and poor com
mon men. They talk about Clas:
differences and class struggles an(
they don't know what class so
ciety is.
T occasionally hear Americans
talk about the coming social revolu
ton in America. I consider so
cial revolution quite impossible II
a country that has such grea
and prosperous middle class. Amer
lea does not know the violent 80
cial contrasts between a poo
peasantry and very rich lant
owning class which makes revolu
tions possible. They are all con
stitution worshippers. They will
not have revolution.
Secs America Stop.
| But WnaJ VIII HdpptI W h'hN'
lea is that she will become hide
bound through her respect for hei
constitution. America, which is sc
fine and splendid now will progress
only a little longer. l give Amer
lea about thirty years to grow
Then she will become hidebouno
and cease growing. She will moi
die, but she will stand still
don't know for how long.
And Europe" I asked, what
will happen to Europe In the mean
timer"
well, would he willing to bet
any amount OF money that within
100 years Europe will again he the
leader in the world. After all
Europe is bigger than America
Siberia alone is bigger and has
more resources than the United
States, and you will see that Eu
rope, which is more clever than
America in such things, will mako
pacts and treaties with Russia and
,Japan and China, and will have
the ascendancv again In world az
fairs. No, Europe is not goin"
down TO destruction yet.
| "In spite of her extraordtn'
| l. l.,,.knaoo nrOa N ion