The Washington times., 1922-04-09


far my ideas and memories of
America as I used to know
her, more than eight years ago,
viii correspond with the new
impressions ] am looking for
ward to receiving next month.
Even IL q country itself did
not change ones impressions
would still be new for ones
own outlook would have chang
ed and grown and one would
have learned to notice new
kinds Of things and to size
up more kinds Of people. In
America, however, where things
move quickly changes may well
be bewildering especially as
the war must surely have left q
deep imprint on homes and on
life. Newspapers, letters and
friends, however, prevent one
from getting altogether out of
touch and ! am going to be
bold enough to make some gen
eral comments. on American
and English ways in the hope
that / can correct them by per-
sonal observation later on.
Enxlish women Not Spoiled.
Novel writer's and newspapsr
men have long found q happy
specuiating ground In the rela-
tons of men and women in tho
two countries. must confess
that when one comes to consider
the question one Ia faced by q
mass of apparent contradictions.
In one sense EnQlishmen and
Englishwomen, at any rate OF
what are called the educated
classes over here. share one an
others interest more than hus.
bands and wives In America.
EngIishwomen. as a whole. Don't
get tbs same amount Of spelling
IN the way of outward courtssies
as American women partly. per
haps. because In Engiand there
are two million surplus women
and In America there are not.
In England women are spared
less and taken more for granted.
In one sense well brought up
English girls. In spite OF or be-
cause OF this absence OF spofiing,
are freer and more independent
than American girls. In other
sense they are not, for they have
few opportunities In the profes-
sions and In business. In the
war young English girls did. I
think, plunge with amazing and
heroic spbntaneity into new. diff.
ficuit, and often dangerous work
In a way parslleled In no other
European country. And I am
perfectly certain that American
girls, II there had been the same
urgent necessity for them to do
so, would have done the same
things In the same way.
Love of Gardens.
I find myself met. by equally
bewiidering contradictions when /
try and compare English and
American homes. English houses
OF the average type are about
as inconyenient as IL is possible
10 imagine for servantiess house
holds and servantless households
are becoming more and more COM
mon, with basement Kitchens,
dismal scuIleries and endless
stairs one WOuiu tnitih thht thS
English were bad home builders
though this criticism does not
apply 90 the modern labor saving
villa nor TO the big roomy coun-
try houses which no one would
attempt to run with staff and
which 20 run are as comfortable
as any kind of house In the world.
Yet the English are renowned
for their home loving qualities
and an Englishman's home is his
castle as all the world knows.
He and she build a semblance
OF an English home In every cor
ner of the globe. civilized and un-
civilized. and surround II with n
garden, however rudimentary, In
the very desert itself.
Il was extraordinary how this
deep-rooted love Of gardens show
ed itself during the war when
the Tommies would SOW seeds or
plant something green or make
ornamental stone borders, IL moth
ing else could be found. beside
even a temporary trench-home
or tent-bospital in all the theatsrs
These, you will say. are only out
side and material things. What OF
the inner aualitieef
I have always felt the longer I
lived in England, that the British