Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-12-20
HASKIN,S
LETTER
a SENATORIAL DIARY OF EU-
ROPE

urged to publish, tells in a vivid
ana entertaining style just how a
typical American solon views Europe
in its present state of political I'M
rest and sightseeing grandeur. 1t
NAV prove to be of special value at
this time when so much hinges upon
the senate's unprejudiced under-
standing of European affairs but II
is also interesting because it re-
veals the personality of the author.
Unlike the diaries which most
European celebrities hasten to pub
I lish after visiting this country this
is an amiable book without any of
the usual national bombast, jeers or
~patroni2ing criticism. But if it does
not critlcise, neither does it gush.
Senator Ashurst evidently viewed
Europe as he might view a play on
any other interesting spectacle
without pretense or prejudice His
diary contains many facts and some
~dppraisals but few opinions. Per
,iars the senator's political training
is responsible for this. At any rate,
he comments with equal impartiality
upon British diplomacy and British
restaurants. He is as interested in
Fr-nch fashions as he Is in the
French occupation Of the Ruhr, and
he notes the quality of the bacon In
Ireland at the same time he notes
the progress of the Free State.
Sometimes his daily entry is divid-
ed between q comment on some Brit
ish policy and a note on mutton
chops or soup. Under n date, for
example he writes that "the Eng
fish never overlook an opportunity
to eat turtle or drink tea" And in
the same entry he points out:
There are 10000 joint stock COM
nn-;aa II, IrnoIaTH that hold nnnPt-
ings each week. AS a rule, no min
utes are made of such proceedings,
and these joint stock companies
rather than the newspapers, in the
final test, control the policies of
England"
Not until several days later does
the senator again indulge in another
observations on British politics. This
time lie says. "Thece is throughout
England u resurgrhce of democ-
racy. The Labor Party constitutes
His Malestys Opposition in the
Westminster Parliament Speculation
is INDUCED in as to what changes
would happen were the Labor Party
to come into power in England.
in theory the will of Parliament in
England is omnipotent. Even the
House OF Lords under the 1910 veto
law, can not reject a bill sent to 1t
by the House of Commons more
than twice in the same consecutive
session. The power of tradition IN
England, like the traditions of her
Foreign Office and her Treasury
are great, however, and work large
ly in secret. II is difficult to mag
inc a Prime Minister giving effect
to a policy which the Foreign Or
flee Staff and the enormous machin-
cry of the Diplomatic Corps opposed:
These officials could not be ousted
without breaking down the elaborate
system of British diplomacy estab-
lished throughout centuries. The
Treasury is almost a law unto itself
and in it's hands are concentrated
the vast details of the financial ad-
ministration. Hence, If what is
termed in England the Radicals
should get into control of the gov
eminent, l do not anticipate a great
change"
Ice Water is Scarce
After this m a purely personal
entry. "On the morning of the
Fourth of July | wore an overcoat,
as the weather was cold, but today
gave US a scorching. Londoners were
unprepared for such a burst of tor
ridity. Ice water is not drunk gem
orally in London. We saw thous-
ands of men, women and children
bathing in the murky Thames"
The senator's description of a
typical E~nglishman is rs matter-of-
fact and as strictly reportorial as
his comments on the weather.
"The typical Englishman loves
sports" he writes. "He has self
suniclency, an insularity that are at
first unpleasant. He Is not deeply
Interested in the political and reli-
gious quarrels of the past but is att
tached to his form OF government.
He reveres Sovereign and all the
Royal Family. To him the King is
a symbol Of strength order and pro-
gress of the British Empire. He is
Methodical; he believes in law en-
forcement and in the frmness and
efficiency of authority. He serves on
the jury and votes guilty or not
guilty without regard to cOnse-
quenees to himself. He looks out
for his creature comfort"
When the senator reaches Ire
land, in the course of his tour, his
entries at once become n%oticeably
enthusiastic. Perhaps this is be-
cause Mrs. Ashurst came from Ire
land or perhaps it is because the
food was so much better than it was
in England. One of his first entries
upon reaching the Emerald Isle has
to do with the change in food. THE
eggs and JAM" he finds. ARE deli
cious. The bacon is superior to that
have hitherto tasted and here one
finds plenty of milk and cream;
difficult to obtain in London"
After this, he has only the pleas
ATTEST predictions for Ireland's flu
ture. ireland will soon enjoy pros
perity," he prophesies. Its soil is
fertile; it's climate genial and its
position for trade advantageous
Again he says: THE unrivaled tall
ent OF the Irish people for public
affairs, their driving force, their
genius for administration and COM
mand, their industry and their SUI
perlative executive ability will keep
the Free State on an even keel, and
the logic of events will at a not
remote date bring Ireland to the
status of an Independent nation"
The Beauties of ireland
Physically ireland is also en-
chanting in the senator's eyes:
1.-THE beauties of Ireland" he says,
ARE Frequently hidden in mist and
rain, but when the sun shines there
is a freshness, a richness ana
! warmth of coloring such as are seen
no other place. The hills literally
J glow with vivid green and purple
Soon after this we find the SEN
} ator setting forth across the Eng
lish Channel for France. When he
arrived in Boulogne he has the us
ual irritating palaver with the
French customs officials, which he
describes with his habitual frank.
ness. "Our luggage was paved
over by the French customs Off
u l.. - - III NT Ial n Aia hnN