The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-13
All Nations
DeClaredOn
Equal Basis
Department Club Hears
Phyllis Bottome, World
Traveller.
BY ELIZABETH CARR

Ilere is no superior OF HlIeIIOT
nation-they are merely different,
as are members of a family" is the
opinion of Miss Phyllis Bottome,
student of psychology, author and
World War relief worker. The
speaker, Mrs. E. Forbes Dennis in
private life, told members and
guests of the Woman's Department
Club yesterday of National Char
acter Traits" in the seven countries
in which she has lived
Mrs. r. o. McAlexander, club
president, introduced the speaker,
who with her husband, Captain
Dennis, will go next to Cleveland,
where Miss Bottome will make sew
eral talks.
There are no real strangers any
more; such great gains are made
through the alteration of space"
which, in Miss Bottome'S opinion,
may bring peace. I'VE must make
the greatest change from wolf to
beaver-to build, not to tear down.
We travellers must carry around a
tonic of friendship, which, when in
jected into foreign nations, will
bring about good will. We must
connect" she pleaded. There is no
excuse for mass murder engineered
by gangSters, commonly known as
war. Organization was made for
man, and not man for organization
The old technique of living is false
We need deeper sense of human
values, and if we get the right
human values, we can afford the
best organization in the world"
Found America Changed
Miss Bottome, of English descent,
spent several years of her childhood
in America, but upon returning to
this country some years later con-
feSSed she found it greatly changed.
She described it as more mature,
more fierce, more stimulating than
ever, an America of skyscrapers and
of tension. Although it took her
several months to adjust herself to
American life, it took her several
years to readjust herself to her own
island people. Island people are
shy, independent, suspicious, AFRO
CANT and courageous" she explained,
land the island over-crowded and
permeated with class feeling, with
chaff and silence their two main
weapons.
IF had no money at all, would
rather live in England Of in Austria
than in any of the seven countries
in which 1 have lived" In England,
she would go to clergyman for
moral or financial aid, and in. Aus
tria to the peasants for similar aid.
Neither, in the speakers opinion,
has the time sense" and both take
Christian charity seriously.
In Switzerland, Miss Bottome
found cleanliness, honesty, kindness
to the helpless, an efficient school
system, and military training. 1.-The
Swiss learn how to defend them
selves as soldiers. If we can defend
ourselves, we do not invite attack"
French Lack CO. Operation
The romantic years of the author
were spent in Italy, where she found
vivid, sympathetic race, with a
strange courage, where quickness of
wit counts. Strangers find it diff
cult to become acquainted in
France, as the people are hostile
because of fear of ridicule, the
speaker explained. Their two great
e-S characteristics we're defined as
"a fierce self-respect and loyalty to
ccepted obligations, and their
greatest fault, their lack of cooper
alton"
while France lacks cooperation,
Germany is too cooperative; to the
point of complete submission. Aus
tria is not very practical, we learn,
but it has safeguarded culture in
Europe, and it has the characteris-
tics of disintereSt in affairs of
others"
Mrs. A. S. Ayres, Mrs. Alvin Coate
and Mrs W. c. Smith were host
esses yesterday for the meeting with
Mrs E. May Hahn and Mrs. H. B.
Burnet pouring at tea following
the talk Mrs H. A. Shideler and her
committee we're in charge of the
tea and Mrs. w. P. Morton of dec
orations.