Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-12

Owing to my friendly relationship
that some American visitors whom
y happen 70 meet speak more frankly
to me than to the average English
man, who never has crossed the At
lanflc, It Is q privilege am glad
to- have, but lately some Of these
friends Of mine have asked question
which I find dif1cult to answer.
why" they ask. ''are Americans
50 unpopular in Europe? What is
the reason Of your profound dislike
Of u.s." 4.
Al q time when thousands OF Amer
lean visitors are pouring into Eng
land and France, spending vast sums
Of money In countries which cannot
afford to despise It, those Questions
seem to me painful and disconcert-
ing. They take for granted the gen.
eraI hostility which. II II Is true,
must rather spoil the enjoyment Of
American tourists and send them
home again with q sense Of bitter
ness Obviously &C. Ia q widespread
idea. II Is expressed now and then
by American writer's ana is quoted
in English newspapers as In q re-
cent article by Menclken, who potirS
ridicule on "That sweet accord be-
tween the United States and Eng
land when ambassadors guam the
grape" and then proceeds to lash
out against English degeneracy a.
j counterblast to the unfriendly criti.
cism OF American characteristics by
writers In the English putter press.
It seems TO me weak Of Mencken,
with his distinguished brain. 70 stoop
90 low as to listen to guttersnipes
but he Is only one among many
Americans who are convinced that
their country Il the most unpopular
nation in Europe today.
k.A,k
n that true? And If it is true
are there any good reasons which
i,istffy this hostility? To some ex-
tent 1 think It Is true. It might lead
to International understanding and
heipful action II this truth Were
acknowledged and its causes ex-
First Of all, there is no hostility in
England or France to INDIVIDUAL
Americans unless they are aggreseiye
ana ask for trouble by discourtesy OF
contempt, which, In my experience
seldom happens. In England lnaa'
yidiial Americans are liked and ad'
n,ired In any social circles whore they
afe met, They are not regarded a. for
eiRnera in the same category a.
nfhers. The link Of common Ian.
g,,aRe gives them en- immense auvan'
fare IN friendship ana understanding
and the average English man or WON.
an a not conscious OF any national
differences In mentality or manner.
American women, especially, are liked
Tor their viyacity. their franl<ness and
their freedom. Those friendly eenti'
rnents. expressed rather too fulsome
II perhaps at public banQuets on pc
ha9 ar Angio.AmericAn 1rielldship,
are not all bunk" and, in my Judg'
ment, do express an earnest ana SIN
eero desire Of all thoughtful minds -
England Tor q close UNDERSTANDING
and sympathy between our two ma
tionD. And yet, IN the popular mino
not thoughtful ana very ignorant q
American life and i0eas, there - nc
doubt an underlying pre1uoice
AGAINST Arnoricans IN the mass, espe
cially against American patriotism IN
it, 100 per cent variety. 1t hnds
an outlet in music hall jokes, in comic
carica1ures and occasionally in veno-
nous or ,unamiable criticism In popu
lar newspapers. These are not ire.
quofit and not important. There Il
nothing like persistent anti-American
prrpaeanda or sentiment. such a. one
may ind or certainly could md level
ed against England daily In certain
sections OF the American press. New
ertheiess there Is this slight bias in
the English minds Of middle-clase
quality. and e y due, ] think. TO Ger.
tain eauses which are partly false
and partly true. The chief cause Is
4 r. - NfSEp.