" BEWILDERED."

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 142, 17 June 1936, Page 19

" BEWILDERED."

IMPRESSION OF U.S.A. LABOUR LEADER'S VISIT. FRIENDSHIP FOR BRITAIN. 1 Mr. Herbert Morrison, Socialist leader of the L.C.C., having for a few weeks travelled 10,000 miles, visited eight American citics, delivered 30 speeches, made five broadcasts and answered a thousand questions in every town he visited, is slightly bewildered. This was gathered when lie arrived in the liner Britannic at Southampton and was interviewed. , "My lasting impression of America is of the vastness of the country and its international character," he said. "The nations that are mingled there present a terrific political problem. Believe me, the local authorities there have a difficult job. It is perfectly clear to me that the Americans are 50 years behind the times where housing is concerned. The local authorities there seem to have 110 proper power and practically 110 money allotted for the purpose of housing. ' Great Peace Gesture.' "Their unemployment problems are worse than ours and they have no organised provision for improving conditions of unemployment, except voluntary relief stations. The unemployed have a far worse time there than here. "They asked me a lot about peace and impressed me with their questioning. There is a real friendship for Britain, let me assure you. I think the United States-Canadian border, with 110 troops for three thousand miles, is a great peace gesture. Both nations live in the greatest harmony. . 1 "As for Abyssinia, they think Great Britain and Franco have let that country down badly, and that Abyssinia's collapse has done a lot of harm to the League of Nations. European politicians are far too tricky, in American opinion, and so the United States is really rather afraid of us. "One of my greatest disappointments was not meeting Mr. William Randolph Hearst. I was so anxious to compare him with Lord Bcaverbrook. It's good to be back again. Give Lord Bcaverbrook my love. I expect I'll be having a dustup with him shortly."