The New York herald., 1922-07-16
BY SIR PHILIP GIBBS.

BY SIR PHILIP GIBBS.
Special Cable to THE New YORK IfrnALD.
Copyright, 1929. by THE Nrw York HERALD.
LONDON. July 15.-Whether people
like 1t or not. and some.A suppose. do
not. it is undeniable that new close.
solid friendship is growing apace be-
tween the United States and Great
Britain. This is based. If my observa-
tons are sound. on more than senti-
mental platitudes delivered at BAN
quets on more even than the stronger
sentiment which exists and always will
exist between Americans of old Brit
ish stock and what was once to them
the mother country. Americans not Of
British stocls--with some exceptions
no doubt in large groups Of foreign
strains not yet amalgamated-are
friendly and sympathetic to British
folk while not abating by any jot their
own American outlook.
All signs point to fair weather ahead
between our two English speaking
peoples, due good deal to the Wash
ington conference, at which we CO.
operated successfully for the peace of
the world by a general acknowledge
ment on both sides of the Atlantic that
on broad issues apart from minor con-
fiicting interests, our trend of thought,
our desire for the future of the world,
and our way. Of looking at things, was
very similar
I think the praise for this drawing
together must go very largely to men
of my own profession, we'll known
journalists, men of letters Of America
and Britain WHO have done honor to
the press, with certain lamentable ex-
ceptions, by their friendly interpreta-
ton and generous idealism. The click
of their typewriters has been good
music to those who are sick to death
of the cheap sneers, the raucous
shouts Of the hundred per cent. pa
triots who can see no good in any
country but their own.
knowledge Aids Friendship.
One cause of the increasing friend
liness, and the best, is increasing
knowledge. England has been fa-
vored by the presence Of many dis
tinguished Americans--Taft was one
of those most recently on this side
and they have done much in private
intercourse and public speech ia
enable the English speaking to under
stand American character and thought.
Bankers and business men OF all kinds
have lately visited England; most of
them had an opportunity of putting
forward American views very clearly
without reservation.
One cannot go to any important
dinner party without meeting Amer
leans Of standing who generally give
the attitude of the United States as
far as they know 1t to world affairs
and what they say spreads in groups
and circles and has its effect. Also
magazines and periodicals of the
United States, which have fairly in
vaded England, are read each week by
clerks and shop girls, middle class
folk as we call them, so life In the
United States, humor, adventure, So
cial customs are no longer unfa-
miliar.
Sinclair Lewis recently declared
that American fiction does not in
terest British readers, but the plain
truth is that English writer's feel a
little hipped because so many Amer
ican stories appear In the popular
magazines on this side and the book
stalls are crowded with American
novels, not so solid as Main Street"
of the sentimental type, but such as
they are. American in background and
character. All that is good, because