Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-06-25
AMERICAN CORDIALTTY
PLEASING TO VISITORS
English Woman Closes Series of Articles on Tour of
This Country With Summing Up of Her
Experiences.
Hx Marsot AHauith.

"a were TO nnIsh this record or
my Impressions of America without
pages shosld not have boon called
Impressions" but Experiences"
and hSAinst this ! have not only
been warned. but ab5ured.
Nevertheless. II is difncult. without
appearing unfrle ndly. to writs with
candor upon matters that have
moved me in my American tour.
IL may be said that American ar
chitecturc. regulations OF street traf-
nc. arrangement Of flower shops.
plumbers and telephone service are
inhnitely superior to our own. But
these are not crfticisms-they are
Htatcments Of facts. the truth OF
htch Is no disputed.
realize that there {. not Il nation
in the world that extends such a
generous welcome to the many
strangers that go there az the United
ststes. But admiration for my hus-
band. and the publication Of tho nrst
volume OF my autobioara phy--which
aroused In America both favorable
and unfhvorabe comment---prevcnt-
ed men at the outset from being Il
complete stranger.
indeed. many Of ;hr people who at
tended my lectures seemed TO know
all about me: ard Was surprised
when crowdinE on to the stage, they
sometimes exclaimed:
But you are so different to what
We expected You would he, and you
haven't told MS what you think of
us
Asked Critics to he Frank.
begged them to be frank and tell
me without fear OF onense what they
had imagined ! would be Ike; but
they could only repeat:
hut
thought YOU would be the very OPP
positc OF what you arc"
II tr!d. a little clumsy chan by
saying:
II am sorry to have disappointed
YOU" il was always met with pro-
tests. ON one occasion ] heard n man
say to in" woman who was with
There YOU are told You all
along; but YOU wouldn't read the
book"
Al which the woman gasped ma BY
the hand and said
You ar" writing another volume
% YOU lIfe. aren't You. Mrs. Aspuith.
in which son VIII tell MS everything
you 'niuk about us?"
explained that / was writing an
article 81 my Impressions Of America
for publication IN the newspapers
and tn" second and Hnal volume OF
my life. which would come out in the
winter.
Met n Varied Lot Of People.
Cuttings were sent 10 me from
papers. some OF flRttcring kind. n nd
other. which said II wss abundantly
clear TINT was in chastened
humor: that. by guarding myself from
my critics, was exercising eau
ticn that deprived me OF all spon.
tanicty.
These remarks are OF little inter
est In themselves. but they tend TO
show how much some people and ma
lions depend on the appreciation OF
others. and are the reason why am
going TO finish with short sum
ming-un.
1t is probably wiser in writing i'm
pressions 10 keep the conclusions
YOU arrive at secret; and many may
ask and with justice:
What can 4 woman who spent
only thirteen weeks in their country
know OF America or her people
In answer TO this. | can only say
thai in these thirteen weeks, because
l was constantly travelling. | saw and
talked To moro varied type Of per
son than ! could have done had ] re
manned in either New York. Chicago
or Washington for as many months
met and conversed with Senators
and negroes, farmers and reporters
Judges and preachers. hotel propri-
~tors. Mayors. solicitors. soldiers
shopmcn. doctors, men OF science and
commerce. and few of both the
fashionable and the leisurcd.
During this experience there arc
certain things 7 observed that ! shall
take the risk OF writing down.
have spoken before Of the Amer
lean interest in trivial things. ques-
lions asked me at my lectures and
in letters emphasized the Importance
placed on such matters as princess
Marys lingeries" and on intimate de-
tails of the mode Of life OF the
aristocracy.
ION Smoking Terms With Queen Mar
If these letters and questions had
been merely the cacklc OF the com
mon feminine geese who like writing
to an advertised person, I would have
disreEarded them. but they were
sometimes signed by men and often
expressed the opinions or important
local editors.
One night after I was in bed. hav-
ing had long talk with nm intellec-
tual reporter upon the dearth Of great
literature in his country. he rang me
mp to say his paper was annoyed that
II. had not brought back an accurate
description OF my clothes.
.ApoloGizing profuscly, he said that
Information concerning hat and gown
was what The public really cared for:
mat none Of our discussion upon Lin
coin. Edgar Allan Poe. or william
lanes fine style, or anything else of
interest would he printed in the morn
ing paper. Eut he added, what had
said 10 ono Of the lady reporters.
twhen we were left to ourselves)
about Princess Marys marriage be-
ing one Of love. would probably be
enlarged by headlines into para
graph
| said foreavc him for waking me
mp. but was quite unaware that /
had even mentioned our royal family.
The next day read that had said
I was ION smoking terms with Queen
Mary"
YcIIows Pnndcr to- Curiosity.
You may say that certain jou-
ralism Of a similar kind in England
pandcrs to the same curiosity in
what is low ana vulgar, but IL is more
harmful In the states because the
press there has more power.
So far from guiding public opinion.
The papers in America stimulate all
hat is worthless and crcdulous: and