The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1949-09-30
Report
Britain
BY James w. Silver
S. S. Washington
Off Cobb. Ireland

on the second syllable) Clifton
was five years old his mother
brought him to America. That
was in l94l and he still remem-
bers seeing the next ship to his
in the convoy being sent to the
bottom by a German sub.
At first he found it difficult
"to decipher" what American
children were saying, but four
years residence sold him on the
United States. He is now return
ing to his London home from a
further l0-weeks stay with rela-
tives in New Jersey and Canada.
Peter is impressed most with
American cars and roads. But he
thinks the British could go in for
mass production if they had the
money. They are as smart as
Americans, he tells me, and want
to make algood job of every
thing" He says that British trains
are as good and subWays most
superior to those in the United
States.
To him American radio is a lot
of fun but he just laughs at the
commercials, most of which "are
a good joke if you can appreciate
it," He is inclined to like the Ger
mans nov that their leaders have
been put away" and he dislikes
Russians = but mind you, they
helped US during the war" He is
unwilling to deliver judgment"
on the cleverness of the Russians.
Peters father is a chemist. did
radar work during the war: his
mother worked in the supply min
istrY. With the 1880 slump. Mr.
Clifton took a dim view" of
the Conservatives and thereafter
voted Labor. but Mrs. Clifton
changes every year.
Peter himself is "skeptical" of
the Labor government, though he
admits that Mr.. Bevin 'looks like
John Bull" (He thoughtfully ex-
planned to me that John is the
counterpart of Uncle Sam.)
He doesn't think that the Con-
~servatives would have Kept their
promise to nationalize the mines
and he is sure that Britain will
not turn to communism: " We're
not that bad Off" To Peter,
Churchill is a grand old man."
but needs to be replaced with
someone "as energetic"
Peter hasn't visited the doctor
since nationalized medicine has
come in Except to get an innocu-
lation, which cost go cents) but
his mother has often been to the
old family physician and his ia
ther to the dentist. They find the
service lust as good as before"
But Peter thinks that socializa-
ton has gone far enough for the
present.
While the young Mr.. Clifton is
still astonished at the prodigal
eating of Americans, he says he
hasn't suffered too much in Brit
ain. He has had plenty of veg
etables and fish but not enough
meat, eggs, milk, cookies, and
sugar.
When candy rationing went off
this summer. he admits that the
people became candy hogs" but
excuses this on the ground that
they had been without il for nine
years.
Relatives in the United States
send his family CARE packages
about three times a year. Most
CARE parcels go to specific adj
dresses, he thinks. His family gets
bananas once a month under the
COUNTER" which he carefully ex-
plains is not black market proce-
dure = the groeers simply have
favorite registered customers"
| asked Peter what he thought
the American attitude should be
toward Britain. We're in a hole,
don't you know" he said, land
we need your sympathy" He is
inclined to believe that Britain
has in the past given the people
in the United States something
the Americans ought to give
back"
In education, he says, "the
Americans are nothing to us. If l
were in America, | would be with
the Is year olds. School in thu
United States is conducted more
in an attitude of luxury, even
with movies"
If this sensitive IS year old boy
with the friendly smile and gra-
eious manner is representative Of
the coming generation, it would
be well if we hesitated before
selling Britain short.