Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-06-11

"'N' '''' - h't a rove hh"lri II IL
lifc"
In answer to letter of thanks
from Elizabeth MIR. Day wrote:
III made mo =" sad TO read some
OF the reviews Of your book. knew.
OF course how few people appre-
oiated nne writing. but now I know
how few people have ever been in
love-
/ mention these incidents TO SHOW
that th"rc IL among Americans a real
appreciation for finer things. whether
II he tho betterment Of tho peopi-'s
lives, such az IS George V. Aliens
IDEAL or az better things in literature.
a. eXemplifed in the attitude OF
Nessrs. Brisbane and Day
Americans Lnck I.e,surr.
II is perhaps presumptuous in me
/ comment on the Average Ameri-
can Men" from the brief weeks |
spent in America should not at
temp, To pass Judgment upon them
except that tn. specimens Nf !
may call them 80. in all se-iousncssD
appeared roughly TO be made In the
same pattern. 1t is characteristic
OF the average American that 10 him
leisure Is wasted time He must
forever be feverishly at work. talk
Ing OVER the days business at lun-
. 'n''i' p!dnHInR MS treasures TO at
tain some point In his business, so
ina; his enjoyment at what he terms
show" is modified by the impress
sion his entertainment and his
proposition made on his guest" a
prospective customer
Even his golf. which alone
threatens to rival his work In in
tcrcst, IS often taken up with Wow
10 the associations IL brings.
The American should realize that
leisure is no; laziness. And as
corollary. he should learn that bust
ness. even II Itself p pleasure 10 him
- not inspiring. Nor is the mere
books or anything else inspiring In
tselt II makes CYCLISTS out Of US.
Americans Adore Noise.
Knowing little OF culture. he as
sumes or really possesses. scorn
for it. leaving its pursuit to his
wife. II she attain eminenc~ in what
he terms n hish-bro pursuit ne Is
iuord'nately proud OF her. although
he affects a pa;ronizing tolerance.
IL. constantly declines therefore
to cultivate his own intellect or TO
take pleasure in others II" get. his
mcHtal stimulus from the struggle Of
IN" bushes. world and mistakes the
Intelligence ne develops there for in
tollcc,.
Americans are not truly nervous
rae" although hurried and hectic
They do not merely endure noise /.
they adore II. Screaming elevated
trains. changing trans. janEling teie-
phone bells-in the midst OF hedlam
hat never ceases in q working day.
Inc. at night. they teverishiy leap
from TASK :" task. issuing uyutra or
carrying them out as though the
safety OF the world depended on
them.
This noise. smoke and confusion
be proud OF. Thu American business
'nau regards 1t as a symbol OF his
industry aud prosperity To him the
hustle and hustle II represents, are
- ~oal. not merely tho means TO an
end
Their amusements arc likely 10 he
as strenuous their work or 10 be
barbaric jazz brings recreation
others fnd rest from the cares thar
hesc; tho day in painting their fences
hop" have not been too severe
in tbs criticism. Hospitsblc. tact-
fui and tolerant. his innate chivalr%
has dove much to pu, AMERICAN on a
pedestal where many Europeans.
ho"avc~ polished" and gallant
would do we'll 10 study him.
Ills faults arc as we'll known.
probably. TO himself as 10 any one
else
But one which he does not seem to
appreciate. or TO try 10 cleminate. Is
one 7 wrote OF in a previous article;
It Is his refusal to allow his 'wo-
men folks" TO share In his business
And business in the lexicon OF the
average American mans life.
Keeps His Wife Oat OF II.
To this fact 7 am inclined to at
tribute. as ! said before. much nj
the disaster which befall the mar.
ried lives OF Americans. And while
the American wife Is partly to blame
because she does not insist on shar-
ing her husbands life ard does not
as matter Of fact. actually qualify
herself to share It. the larger par.
~ the blame for the alarming
amount Of domestic infelicity In the
United states is due fundamentally
10 the husband.
have charged him with a desire
10 keep his wife out Of his business
out OF his life. lie treats her with
respect and admiration that make
her the envy OF women OF tho Old
World. Eut he forces her to look
on him merely as one who worships
her with ;he practical sort ~ wor-
sh.o that provides her with every
material comfort
lie forces hnr TO find her intellec-
~-tual pleasures elsewhere than In his
life ar his company. Sometimes. I;
appears that he would use her as q
sor, OF show window. In which to
hang the symbols Of his success
Success indeed. is the god OF the
Yankee. and the word. among an in
h,rllec,ual portion OF Americans. is
Synonymous with the proven capacity
for making money.
Money - Mark Of Success.
Thus. one is told. as measure Of
his success. how much such writer
made last Year. how much a play
wrights royalties from the cinema
tograph added to his liabilities for
income tax and how much this OF
that artist spent in building the or
nate country house you pass.
Thus the standard is money. In