Evening star., 1925-05-07

Continued from First Psge)
as safe as anything can be in this
naughty world.
have had curious feeling which
may be quite mistaken. that the two
nations are nearer together than when
i was here in 1906 With us the level.
ing of class distinctions has gone very
far in the interval. The gentleman"
the public school and university
mans no longer confined to a short
list of possible professions, and the
naughty artistocrst is crushed by
fniquitous taxation that he Is often re-
duced to 3 shabby senteei existence in
small London fiat.
America Has Changed.
think America Is changed also. The
country seems tidier. more orderly
more dignified more self-assured than
remember 1t. But what have ] seen
of America? Just the most polished
corner of it. | have not even driven
through Main street.
| was naturally conscious of what
we unlucky Europeans have come to
call the pre-war atmosphere. America
has not passed through the furnace of
affiiction. The war has brought TO
this country only increased prosperity.
We have now restored sterling to par
and ! think we may be proud Of It,
But the strain has been terrible. Even
the richest nation cannot lend
ten thousand million dollars to
fraudulent bankrupts on the continent
without suffering severely.
| have nothing worth saying about
prohibition. I have heard all the usual
opinions-that IL was war measure.
which ought never to have been made
part of the Constitution: that 1t will
soon be dead letter: that beer and
light wines will soon be allowed: and,
on the other side. that boys are grow
ing up who have never ia Sted alcohol
and who will never wish for II.
Is Domestic Question.
Ii is domestic question. on which
foreigner is wise to hold his peace
But Il am surprised that no attempt
| is made to create an Illusion of
conviviality by offering efrervescing
drinks at meals. Cold water, with
which the wild asses quench their
thirst. is a dismal beverage for human
beings.
I have seen my first base ball match
Yale versus Pennsylvania. AS an
| old cricketer, though not q distinguish
ed one, | watched 1t with great in
terest. 1t is difficult, without handling
the ball and inspecting twhat we
! should calD the wicket-keeping gloves,
/ to give an opinion, but it seemed to
me that the catching and throwing lin
IL were better than are often seen at
| first class cricket. On the other hand,
! | doubt whether base ball gives SO
much scope for the strategy of a good
ca ptain. who at cricket watches the
style of each batsman and places the
! fielders. or changes the bowling. ac-
cordingly. Cricket takes too much
!
game 1. venture to think that II has
| no rival
Permanency Of Prosperity.
Considering that the future Of civil
ization, or at least of AnglO-Saxon
civilization, depends mainly on the
United States, I naturally asked my
self whether the present amazing
prosperity of your country Is likely
to be permanent. On this subject l
had a talk with an intelligent and
much-traveled Australian on the
steamer. His remarks about England
nd South Africa were so depressing
THAT | turned him on to the United
States.
| II think" he said. that their bloat-
ed prosperity will continue for another
! 90 years, and that then they will
wilt"
Why | said labor troubles
Yes" he replied.
Well | can see that America lacks
lone safeguard against social revolu-
ton. The nations of Europe cannot
afford to play the fool beyond a GER.
ltain point. A sick nation, like Russia
is at once torn limb from limb by its
neighbors. You have nothing of this
kind to fear, and consequently the
conflicts between capital and labor
may be fought out recklessly.
! But somehow l cannot believe that
there will be revolution in America
Comfort is too widely diffused, and
the intelligence of the people is too
great Revolutions are always q mis-
take, and l believe most civilized peo-
| pie know 1t.
There will doubtless be a slump in
your business. which has expanded
| partly under artificial and temporary
conditions. But l think you will meet
discomfort, as we have done, by heec.
ing the rich in taxes. The danger
arising from the presence of turbu.
lent and violent laborers from south
nd east Europe has been diminished
by wise curbs on immigration.
Ground for Misgiving.
There is, however, one ground in
my opinion, for serious misgiving. The
Episcopalian clergymen of small
town in Connecticut said to me: I'VE
are losing our Anglo Saxon population.
Last year, out of forty.seven births,
only seven children were born to Eng.
disappearing parents In New Ha.
ven I found nearly half the population
Italian. Now. If this is typical, and
/ am afraid 1t is, it means a foreign
conquest of America, and a foreign
conquest of the worst kind. Those
beautiful old towns and villages. laid
out in colonial days, are passing into
the hands of aliens, strangers by
blood.
1t may be said that they all become
Americans. Yes, they do in q sense,
Just as the ufoqErel Levantines who
populated the EAst Roman Empire be-