CRITICISM OF THE ENGLISH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 121, 24 May 1935, Page 6

CRITICISM OF THE ENGLISH.

A correspondent, S. J. Collins, charges the "Star" with "attacks on Englishmen and English affairs.". Some time ago British Army authorities expressed concern because about 75 per cent of recruits offering for service were physically unfit. And now, because a London correspondent repeats the story with the additional information that a somewhat similar situation has arisen with regard to recruiting the London police force, your correspondent construes it as an "attack on Englishmen and English affairs." ]n my humble opinion, when it comes to "attacking" other nations, in the "Star" or elsewhere, your Englishman plays second fiddle to none. * For years he has been diligently caricaturing and lampooning Americans, Irish and Scots; few, if any, have escaped the shafts of his disparagement. Jn the same issue of the "Star" that carries Mr. Collins' protest- is to be found an "attack" on the Scots. I refer to that ancient Anglo-New Zealand canard about the Scottish Rugby L 7 nion refusing to play New Zealand touring teams because of a bad bargain alleged to have been made long ago over a "gate." One wonders what English funny papers would do for jokes but for the Irish and Scots; or what would become of that grand old English institution, "Punch," were it debarred from "attacking" the Scots, especially the mean Scots front Aberdeen? The Englishman loves to present himself to the world as an imperturbable creature imper»lous to criticism. It seems, however, that in tlte realm of verbal fisticuffs he can hand it out but not take it. J.McL.