The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-09-13
BY Jack Mahon

GEN. DOUGLAS M'ARTHUR's
HEADQUARTERS, Southwest Pa
cific-INS-An article written by
an Australian news correspondent
from America. warning brides OF
American servicemen they will
have TO be prepared for many sur
prises and shocks when they arrive
in the United States, has touched
of a controversy here, with indig-
nant GIs flooding the local papers
with letters OF protest.
The Australian writer. Lon Jones,
who supposedly has spent many
years in America, declared that
brides planning TO live In America
must expect a much faster tempo
OF living. The general outlook
and thinking Of the people is en-
tirely different"
Likely to be InterIoper'
The new bride is likely to be re-
garded at first as something OF an
| interloper, Jones wrote, mot only
by her husbands immediate family
and friends but by the residents of
the community in which she will
make her new home"
Girls would find, he declared,
though they had married Ameri-
cans, they had actually married
into families still fundamentally
European, retaining many OF the
old-world customs"
The Australian writer further
cautioned brides not to expect TO
dine out every night, maintaining
This happens only in the movies, "
he said.
As Jones put It: THE average
serviceman will be lucky IL he can
afford a modest one-bedroom apart
ment at $40 per month or even a
cheap one with a drop-down bed in
the living room"
Apartment Life Lonely
Other excerpts from the article
to which service men took strenu-
Gus objection stated
Apartment life sounds like such
a lot OF fun to those who have
never lived In one but II probably
Is the loneliest life imaginable for
IL women forced to spend most
! OF her time at home and
beach parties, within the reach of
all classes in Australia, are special
events In America and her
husband will not have enough
money to spare for nightclubbing
more than once or twice year.
Her weekly outing is likely to con-
sist OF visit to the neighborhood
movie theater or to a baseball or
football game, which she will not
understand.
life in America looks much
more exciting In the movies than
II really is"-"the bride will have
to go completely American or be-
come a lonely introvert, discomfort
ed and longing TO return home. Her
longings for her native land will
become more difficult the longer
she remains an exile"
Stirs Up Tempest
II didn't take the CTS long to sail
into Mr.. Jones with letters to his
editor. The Telegraph, in three
column story admitted a storm
OF constroversy", had arisen and
the American comment was main
~ adverse.
| Private Paul McAskiil, Of Lowell,
Mass, had portion OF his letter
| printed in which he took exception
| 10 the remarks that Aussie brides
would be considered "interlopers'
81 cannot imagine any American,
regardless OF how ill-mannered or
Inbred he may be, causing any OF
these girls to feel she has no right
in America" wrote McAskill.
; The private blasted Jones con
tention that beach and tennis par
ties, trips to night clubs and mod
ern living conveniences are lux
uries" and doubted any Australian
girl 10 so misinformed she thinks
all Americans are millionaires.
Compared to "Msin kampf'
Regarding Jones suggestion that
brides must learn to think and act
American" McAskill concluded:
Naturally she must do this. She
expects to do It. Remember the old
saying: When in Rome.
Corporal Leon Black, OF Holly
wood, Cal, who has spent two
years in Australia, took violent
exception to Jones entire article,
comparing one portion OF 1t with a
passage from "Mein Kampf'.
ITO infer" he wrote, that sec
ond and third generation Ameri-
cans are still deeply enmeshed in
their first generation parents way
OF life Ia as ridiculous and Unbound
ed az a suggestion that children OF
Welsh, Irish or English stock, here
in Australia, are still Welsh. Irish
or English In their mode OF life
rather than Australian"
The Navy feighed in with let
ter signed by several sailors, who
took exception to Jones entire
thesis Ridiculing his assertion
that an Australian girls accent
would cause laughter the boys
wrote:
There are many brogues and
accents In America and when one