The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-24


 Company, for The Age-Hersld. All rights Unlicensed reproduction in full or in part expressly prohibited.)
 By EMILE COUE
 What do you think of American women| is a question frequently put to me among a host of others by my new friends over here whose in- terest in me and my work deviates with often startling celerity to my opinions on seemingly irrelevant subjects. Now, I am not going to answer that question just yet. The unchallenged queen of every realm of American activity demands longer study than l have yet been able to give her. I merely pause here, in my breathless rush through the states. to do her homage, reminded as I am of her omnipresenee by the predominance of the feminine ele- ment at most of my lectures. This preponderance is especially niticea- bie at Washington, where I am writ ing these notes, and I am wondering why 1t should be so. It is true that two out of three lectures have been given in the afternoon, at hours when most men are at work, but l have observed the same dispropor- ton at evening sittings. I think the reason may well be that women are more studious than men in America, more active intellectually, without taking into account their greater in- quisitiveness, which Is a natural at- tribute of Eve the world over.
 However, in one respect at least, American men and women ..re alike that is, in their invariable atten tiveness American audiences are ideal from this point of view. Not once, so far, have 1 had the slightest difficulty in capturing the attention of every one at the beginning of a lecture, either at New York; Phila- delphia or Washington, or in holding it right to the end. I hope l am in- teiligent enough to know that this Is not because of any superior uuali- ties of my own. On the contrary, it is an undoubted fact that my hesi- tating English, pronounced with 8 foreign accent, although it may be understood quite sufficiently, ought to have soporific effect of an au- dience. and put an abnormal strain on it's powers of concentration. understand now why so many Euro pean lecturers prefer to address the American public. They are sure of getting an attractive, cemprehending and appreciative audience. And none but public speakers can really under stand the thrill of pleasure experi- orced when one feels the fluid of every soul in the hall vibrating in unison with ones own thought; or realize the torture of knowing that there's something "out of tune" and that the audiences attention Is wan dering Personally, I shall never for get the delight of watching my American listeners eyes riveted on me in a manifest desire to lose noth- ing of my lecture.
 Smile While They Listen
 American audiences have two other characteristic which 1 have seldom found anywhere in Eurt tpe-they smile while they listen to you. and at the end of the lecture they are fresher than at the beginning. The first one, I will confess almost dis mayed me at the start of my open- ing lecture. When people began to wear a pleasant. smiling expression. I was afraid that or my ideas were the object of their amusement, or that. for some reason, they were un- able to follow me. I now think with little confusion how surprised they must have been at my too fre- ouent uneasy queries, ''do you un- derstand?" No, that is the American way. They sit through even a lengthy. possibly rather dry confer ence with ease as well as under standing. ln Europe. people are apt to have tense expression on their faces, if they are following a speaker on any serious subject; or else they look just a little bored. despite a polite effort to simulate attention.
 The second characteristic is shown by the vigorous volleys of questions which are fired at me directly l fin ish my lecture. That is somewhat rare in France. And the questions put are almost always intelligent, and prove that not only have the questioners fully grasped what had said, but are eager for me to develop certain aspects of the subject or to explore side issues the possibilities and importance of Sieh they have been quick to seize = m In this respect-and this is 1aps. a third racteristic-Aa-~ .s do not seem to suffer from al sind of ner- vousness which is :. ,ter described as self consciousness ar ashfulness. I have only encountered one bashful person at my lectures over here. and he was a mere man. As rule. find Americans put their questions with dlrectness and concision, in voice audible all over the hall. with no dis cernible trace of timidity. I have been struck also with the order and discipline they so readily show. Whenever number Of questions fappen to be put simultaneously, unable and confusion are avoided by a oaasi-automatic perception of the most interesting one, and to the au- .thor oi it the floor is immediately abandoned by the others tacit con- sent. Little details. perhaps, but they denote character.
 Peculiarly Responsive
 In geneoral. find that I was not mistaken in believing. even before I sailed from France. that the Amer ican temperament is peculiarly re- sponsive to the creed of auto sug- gestion. Take my hand- -ciasping test. for instance. Simple as it ap- pears-and really is--quite mum bcf oi peoPie I'll rldnce anu EnEldnu fail to grasp the elementary princi- pie underlying 1t, and the conflict in their own minds mars the success of the demonstration. In America, how ever. I have had comparatively few failures, because the American mind is sensitive to ideas of psychological analysis.
 Perhaps this same senstiveness is responsible for the serenity of Amer ican audiences. I can think of no better word to convey my meaning. It is not merely idle tranquility There is a sort of self watchfulness self control and conscious considera tion for others which surprises me