Imperial Valley press., 1944-07-26
AMERICAN SOLDIERS AS
GOOD WILL AGENTS


er world war, with more than three mil
lion Americans on the scores of fronts,
either in combat or stationed for move
n1ent into battle areas, there is much be-
ing said about the attitude of foreigners to
our men. 1t is contended that whaevter
this attitude may be, it reflects the actual
feeling of these peoples and governments
toward the United States. Also / is
pointed out that the American fighters
may or may not be good messengers of
good will or bad messengers.
In the many months hundreds of thou
sands of Americans have been stationed
in England, there has been opportunity
for both the British and the Yankees to
alter whatever views they may have held
toward each other. 1t is true the 1anks
may not be directly concerned about all
this. Unconsciously, however, they may
be just such agents.
Recently THE Outpost" a leaflet pub
lished by Americans in Britain, had this
to say about the various things the Brl-
fish like about Americans:
Has it ever occurred to you to wonder
what qualities the English like in the
young Americans? Their darkness, per-
haps. Their cheeky gaiety. Their causal
ease of manner. Their low, slow, Gary
Cooper voices. Or a certain gentle earnest
ness surprising because it is so uneX-
pected Good guesses, all of them, and
near the mark. But actual pride of place
goes to another quality which you may
never have noticed, because you nave al
ways taken it for granted.
"The trait that has won British hearts
throughout these islands - English,
Welsh. Irish, Scottish and the hearts of
FORGOTTEN
or perhaps had never known that their
countrvmen were like this-is the Amerl-
cans love for children.
An Englishman wrote in to the Out
post" 1t is my opinion that the psychoi-
ogical reaction upon us Of the American
soldiers giving up and saving sweet and
other rations to give Christmas parties
to children has been greater than all the
other efforts and propaganda put TO-
gether, That is tall statement, but |
believe true. You will not get the Britt
sher to speak or even to mention this re-
action, but | am convinced 1t is there,
perhaps without any very conscious rec
ognition of the fact. 1t was obvious that
efforts were spontaneous. and the WIRE
less and other reports had the toucn
which proved that they were not inspired
or ulterior publicity drives. In other
words, the acC1O1S CdTf1cu q uetp CoiNi1-
ton of sincerity If you convince Brl-
fisher that you are sincere, you are his
friend forever. But until convinced that
sincerity exists, l admit that there is
belt of reserve"
"Apparently the G. |. likes above all
things to give children's parties. He be-
gan it his first Christmas over here, and
has gone on doing it ever since. In be-
tween parties he makes friends with all
the children in his village, larks with
them on buses, shares his chewing gum
and funny papers with them, and COM
hines with his fellows to adopt them.
FThe adoption of war orphans by Amerl-
can regiments has been a great move
ment enthusiastically followed; but there
has been no self-righteousness or senti-
mentality about it. Company B. the
service bulletins will announce shame
lessly, "is about to become father
The blessed event is expected to take
place before the end of the month" Or
Company A and Company c are racing
to acquire a second child. The betting is
on A Company"
1.-THE paternal instincts of the Eng
lishman may be as deep and strong, but
they are more submerged. A great deal
of nonsense is talked about British reti-
cence and shyness, but it must be admitted
that in this one respect the English are
indeed more inhibited than the Ameri-