The New York herald., 1922-04-04
MRS. ASQUITH KIND
TO us in FAREWELL
Gives Many Observations in
Final Lecture Before
Leaving To-day.
BELIEVES US TOO BUSY
Prohibition Not as Ex-
pected and Violations
Hardly Salutary.
MANY THINGS PUzzLING
Newspaper Diction, Billboards
and Party Differences Hard
to Understand
MANY THINGS PUzzLING

States in a final lecture in the ball
room of the Waldorf-Astoria last
night. She was advertised to speak
on MY American Experiences" and
for that reason it was rather expected
that her summary would be caustic
But 1t was decidedly mild and on the
whole complimentary.
She found our violations of the pro-
/ hibition law hardly salutary for the
/ young, our billboards all too preva-
lent, and our rush to make money in a
hurry reminded her OF the incessalt
action of the movies But she con-
fessed herself an outsider did not
want to be critical and obviously was
determined that the friendliness she
had encountered should overbalaEcc
whatever else fingers IN her memory
Of her American lecture tour.
The ballroom was well filed by a
brilliant audience, gathered by the So
ciety OF Friends of Rumania.
Hcsitates to BE Severe.
William Nelson Cromwell. who as
president of the Society of Friends OF
Rumania introduced Mrs. Asquith, dis
armed her with compliments. He cred
tied her with the possession of ian
X-ray vision.' said that she had made
multitude OF friends during her visit
to America and hoped that she would
not be too severe in her criticism.
Anyway" Mr.. Cromwell added with
a chuckle ''being woman. she has the
last word. and IL should attempt tc
deny 1t she would undoubtedly mega
phone from the Mauretania passing
through the Narrows tomorrow morn
ing
Mrs. Asquith talked without manu-
script and was readily heard in all parts
OF the ballroom. Frequently she cast
a gleeful smile in the direction of the
balcony box where sat her daughter,
the Princess Bibesco, and her son-in-
law, the Rumanian Minister to the
United States. She also kissed her hand.
while Mr.. Cromwell was speaking, to
friends whom she recognized I'm the au-
dience. She caught the amused atten-
tion of the audience at the outset by
saying:
Ladies and gentlemen, you will be
relieved to hear that this is my last
lecture. / am sorry to leave because /
have had a wonderful experience. /
have had nothing ike 1t in my life be-
fore. have been met with gene
rosity which l shall never forget.
American Reporters ynawed.
IL have been living chiefly in hotels
and elevators. But / have seen your
reporters and a great many of them.
Though perhaps a little lacking in awe
they have been marvelously generous,
loyal and good to me. Also the hotel
managers. They have even offered me
things that are forbidden. The subjects
interesting the reporters most seem to
have been Princess Mary's underclothes
and prohibition.
TN the wet cities was attacked for
saying that ! was a prohibitionist
When I went into the dry cities they
were very angry at me because i said
the prohibition law did not work fairly
between rich and poor. When l came
Ger. being a fanatically temperance
person myself, / thought I would find
everybody here happy and sober. Happy
found them. But suppose it works
differently at different places"
Mrs. Asquith did not see how il would
help the poor to see the prohibition
law "broken all the time." remarking:
II think that the law may have to be
modified, but I'm not here to preach "a
you. OF course the power OF the saloon
has been broken and in that way IL Is
a very fine thing. But do not think
It has worked out exactly in the way Il
was meant"
Many Things Puxxling Here.
She confessed to having had some
trouble in following the news here. 1T
was difficult" she said. for me, not
erv,aa1rfnU t1a =.
papers write. to follow all that was GO
ing on" Somewhere on her travels she
met a charming lady who said to her,
Il hope, Mrs. Asquith, you are inter-
ested in our movement, the Culture
Chasers" which seemed 20 have both
amused and mystified her. She had tried
to find out wherever she went the dis
tinction between Democrats and Repub-
licans, but everybody told me some
thing different, and I haven't the least
idea now what the distinction Is"
"In our country" she added. employ.
ing new knowledge OF American slang
I'VE have very distinct line between
Conservatives and Liberals. The Con.
servatives stay put and the Liberals get
UP and get"
Now as TO criticism" she continued
"are you nervous. Mr. cromweli?" The
chairman said he could stand Il. and
She had found Michigan boulevard. Chi.
cago. lovely but regretted the absence
OF a cathedral or statue. Billboard.
along the railroads fascinated her One
advertised, Wanted. a Rare Man
Another had nothing but the words, -
Good Name" Mrs. Asquith had tried i,
vain to decipher these cryptograms
The worst fault OF many Americans
it seemed to her. was that they wer,
too busy trying to make n fortune to,
much on the rush. having too it'll,
leisure They're like the movies" sh'
said. She praised highly the spirit anC
vork OF the Washington conference an,
rrId the interests OF her country ant
ours lie in sticking together"
You have vitality, generosity ans
genuineness OF character" she sais
finally. II have learned to know ant
love you. like to feel that you hav,
something OF the same feeling towart
US"
There Is one criticism ! am going tC
n-akc." she said. when ] went e
Buffalo I thought 7 would ride miles
and miles through a lonely, wild, dark