Evening star., 1925-10-13

NO Thank You League" seems to
be the response OF the newspapers to
the avala nche Of invitations sent out
by the organization which wants
America to improve her manners.
Those who take the subject seriously
seem to resent the implication and
rise to the defense OF the kindly heart
beneath the homespun demeanor.
Heading its editorial. Courtesy BY
Fiat" the New York World, after
quoting from the circular letter OF
the league, says: with little inten-
,lon TO scosr at such a laudable effort
il saddens one to run into the old
phraseoiogy of the reformsr, Its pur-
use is to force an appreciation. etc. y.
Rejecting on this statement, the
World ponders. Just how the Ameri.
can Thank You League proposes TO
go about that strikes one as being
trifle obscure. Shall the giver Of
eratuities say fiercely, Damn you.
say thank YOU to the cod.eyed waiter
as he gathers up his tip? And will
the churlish servitor. thus adnon-
ished. respond. I'm sorry, Sir. fhank
you'r II we know walters. he wont. -
1T is highly desirable that mer-
chants should have in their employ
sales persons who are Kind and
courteous to customers" comments the
Peoria Transcript. but conscripted
thank yous' are poor soldiers on the
field Of commerce." in it's opinion
Continuing, the Transcript states its
belief that courtesy without saving
sense Of proportion Is not courtesy at
all: perhaps in many instances the
patron would prefer nod and
smile to the spoken word"
y X
rr-..t- xA;c T1aca
raba Press seems to concur as 1t says:
We'll. more politeness would be de-
sirable. but 1t Is extremely doubtful
whether utterinS thanks at the least
provocation' would not add to the
country's homicide rate" for the
Press continues, there are exces-
sively nervous people whose profuse
thanks incite normal men and women
almost to the point of taking life.
Though it recognizes the lack OF
thank you spirit in American business
and social contacts. the Buffalo Eve
ming News feels that We must be in
a bad way II there has to be move
ment' to inculcate politeness," and
wonders II as a result Of this move.
rnent there will not be many who
will eschew thank you from now on. :"
Timed so as to reach East. West.
North and South simultaneously,
many hundreds of letters have been
sent out from the headquarters Of the
Thank You League in New York. ac-
cording to the Chambersburg Public
Opinion, which states that the recipi-
ents of the letters will be asked
whether, in their opinions, America is
the most impolite Of all lands; whether
European attacks on American man.
ners are justified: to cite Instances or
make suggestions and to enroll and
give impetus to q wider use of the
words Thank you" This paper COM
pliments the league. whose mission
In life 10 the very praiseworthy one of
making life little moro courteous"
As to European charges that Amerf-
cans are impolite. the Seattle Daily
Times points out that "the best evil
dence is the testimony Of our own
people who have been abroad. They
have had the opportunity Of conlpar-
ing the conduct Of their own people
with that of people in foreign lands.
Unfortunately for Americans, the tes-
timony Is all adverse. The habitual
politeness Of cultured Europeans is
proverbial. Every one with whom
visitors come In contact is uniformly
and invariably polite"
Although 1t believes Americans are
at heart as kindly as the courteous
French. the Wichita Beacon af1irms:
I'VE are not a polite people. We do
not do easily, graceful things" This.
the Beacon explains. is because