Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1944-05-26

much complaint. They're tough
breed, after all.
On the social side, the Americans
and Australians get along pretty
well, considering the self-esteem and
pugnacity on both sides. After the
Yanks and Aussies had fought to-
gether few times, the bond of bat
ties shared united the comrades in
arms. Americans were instructed
beforehand in getting along and be-
having nicely, and it appears that
most of them are doing so. The Aus
tralians, who are grateful for the
timely succor, are acting as hosts
and allies should.
There is of course some grum-
bling among the Aussies about the
Yanks snatching away their girls.
The famous American "line'' goes
over pretty well too, and the GER
tain awe that most foreigners feel
toward Americans helps to make
an impression. Then the higher pay
scale of the U. S. army gives our
men more spending money, and they
probably show the girls a better
time than the native boys do. Aus
tralian girls say that Americans
treat them as equals and are more
courteous than their own men folks
who are following traditional beha-
vior that is ''out of date" in Amer
lea.
In New Zealand, where the situa-
ton parallels that in Australia pretty
closely, member of the parliament
introduced a resolution asking the
U. S. army to reduce the pay of our
soldiers, because the local chappies
were being put to shame when it
came to free spending. Nothing
came of it, but it shows how some
of them feel.
Love Comes to U. S. Soldiers.
Many Americans have found ro-
nance in the big island. Only lately
900 Australian women, brides and
finances of American soldiers, land
ed in San Francisco, and began to
| adjust themselves to their new home
land. Many other brides are staying
over there until the war ends. Some
soldiers plan to remain in Australia.
Prime Minister Curtin recently stat
ed that he wished that as many as
10000 Americans would settle in
his country. 1t is not reported how
the average Australian fellow feels
about this proposition. Until lately
Australia, like all frontier countries,
had large preponderance of males
How kindly the Aussies take to addi-
tlonal competition for their women
and their jobs is not revealed.
Australian girls are rather bigger
than American girls, our soldiers
say. They are athletic and healthy
and interested in sports such as
swimming and tennis. Their endur-
ance on the dance floor is a marvel
! to husky Americans, who are often
hard put to keep up. They want to
learn the latest American steps.
They enjoy American slang.
On the other hand, there is con-
siderable British conservatism in So
cial life throughout Australia. Many
forms of amusements are closed on
Sunday. The churches exert more
influence there than many Ameri-
can communities. Only few
months ago, for instance, clergy
, men of all denominations were pro-
testing against hasty marriages be-
tween Americans and Australian
girls. The remonstrance carried
considerable weight.
While Australians play our brand
of baseball, they do so only to keep
in condition for football in the off
season. And football to them is a
special game of their own, unlike
American football or English rugby.
1t is fast game with much kick
ing, leaping and running. Eighteen
men play on each side.
Cricket is the national game as in
other British countries. Americans
found it is not as slow as they had
been led to believe. Tennis and
golf are popular. Horse racing used
to be national passion, but war
time stringencies have closed most
| tracks.
The Future.
How much greater Australia can
become depends on many factors.
The great areas of desert and semi
arid land is unfavorable to extern
sion of agriculture without great if
rigation projects. Forest resources
are inadequate for much lumber
ing or paper-making. The mineral
resources have not been exploited
very much yet, and offer considera-
bic promise. There is good deal of
manufacturing, but the heavy indus
tries need further development.
Unless the population increases
considerably, the commonwealth
cannot expect to become a great ma
ton. Postwar years may see con-
siderable migration to this country,
still frontier land with real oppor-
tunities. Perhaps many Europeans
will try their luck there. Enough
American soldiers may decide to
settle there to set the pace, and to
attract other Americans in years to
come. On the other hand, Australia
may not be much more interesting
to most people after the war than it
was before.