Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-09-04
kIWANIANS HEAR
TRAVEL talk AT
LUNCHEON SESSION

Sf1SAhSi o. LILO ilISl lulCnOSn session
OF the fall season of the Kiwanis
club, held Thursday noon at the Au-
gusta Girls Community club, spoke
most Interestingly on his summer
tour abroad. Mr.. Mason related
something of his impressions of the
peoples of the several countries of
the continent and the British Isles,
which he visited, but declared that
after all he was entirely satisfied
with the United States as place In
which to live. r.
President Blaine Owen presided at
the meeting yesterday noon, and one
new member was welcomed into
kiwanis by Past President Henry e.
Dunnack. The new member is Will
liam II. Thompson Of China, former
man prominently identified with the
public affairs of community and
State for many years.
1t was announced that at the meet
ing on Thursday of next week the
speaker would be United States SEN
ator Frederick Hale Of Portland. and
1t Is anticipated that there will he a
particularly representative atten-
dance.
The talk by Mr.. Mason was In part
as follows:
Il was trying to think up a new
place Tor q vacation this summer,
when my family physician suggested
tnat europe would afford me a COM
piete change. l guess he meant all
right, but think l left most of the
change in Europe
The doctor further suggested,
after examining my head, that trip
or this kind would bring up new
IDEAS ana enlarge my mental hori-
zon. l have always been conscious
or the fact that it needed enlarging.
Inc sea trip especially did bring
| up many things. 1t also enlarged nv
| physical horizon as one can see
where heaven and earth meet all
around the circle, the diameter of Che
circle, as sailors informed me, being
ABOUT 40 miles. I believe the whole
1 trip did enlarge my mental horizon.
ana gave me, as 1t would anyone, a
new grasp of world affairs.
/ Joklngly, might say that in do
ing Europe-you need to be Just a
trifle cautious to see that Europe
does not do you. I mean by that il
IS necessary to be ever alert lest you
lose your passport that you do not
get short-changed too often on for
eign money, and that you do not get
TOO deeply involved in the fee system
which extends pretty generally over
Europe. Until proved otherwise. In
the eyes of Europeans. all Americans
are millionaires. Weather beaten
travellers told me It was not well 10
cut a wide swathe, beginning at the
port of entry. Travel modestly and
humbly and you will be able TO buy
return ticket home, was his sage
advice. / followed pretty much this
advice.
$50 many things played upon my
vision during this 5000 mile trip that
1T will be well into the winter before
| get them all classified. That is one
thing that European trip does, IT
gives you many pleasing Impressions
to think over for months to come
There are two other things that a
European trip does. 1t gives you a
new angle and better understa nding
of geography, and it affords you an
| opportunity to knock elbows with
some particularly interesting and in
tellectual people of different nation
alities. Just from conversations on
the boat going over, talks with ma
tives, I got q clearer understanding
of the conditions in at least five Eu-
1 ropean countries. : Foreign dale lines
In the papers mean more to me than
with the preliminary knowledge
that the average person starts with,
supplemented by guides easily. OBJ
tainable anywhere, seeing Europe is
not fraught with many difficulties.
| The fact that one does not speak the
language of country is not a seri-
+, GUS barrier. Most of the guides
speak some English, always a clerk
or two at hotel. and, in all the
large stores, English speaking clerks
are carried. AS you move about in
the business districts, you come to
almost unconsciously absorb the
language, from names over the
stores and the things you see in the
! do the trick oftentimes.
For seeing the three largest cities
OF the world independently, in an
/ off-hand way, as a sort of Dashboard
for more detailed exploring, / would
recommend the public motor bus. 1t
is certainly effective in New York
City. 1t is equally SO in Paris and
London.
1--WE may all live long enough to
see worldwide peace, world wide
prohibition and worldwide demo-
cracy, but. from all indications,
judged from my experiences in Eu-
rope, should say IL would be doubt
full. l should further say that one OF
the potent factors that will help to
bring about this millennium would be
more uniform and higher standards
] of education, just such problems as
the distinguished member of our
club. DR.. A. O.. Thomas, is trying to
solve in the world at large. Who
knows but that in the years to come,
the Augusta Kiwanis club, with
| brother Gus as the educational back
| bone Of the world, may be largely in
the limelight in the transmorgriiica
ton of the universe"