FROM OVERSEAS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 16, 19 January 1940, Page 11

FROM OVERSEAS.

American Glimpses Through Different Eyes

"Having no money in America meane nothing—except that you can't get about so much," said Miss Elaine Johnson, of Sydney, who has just spent 18 months in California, and attended Stanford University for a history course.

"If the students are poor, they work," Miss Johnson said, "and it carries no stigma, ae it would in England. College life is great. I was advised to see American life from the university point of view if I wanted to see the best side of American activity, and I certainly enjoyed. It. Some of the students are serious, really out for knowledge, and they can get it. They have the beet lecturers procurable. But most want the social life, the sports, the easy, happy, carefree atmosphere of college. America is keen on education. People, young and old, like to be well informed about the world they live in."

Miss Johnson studied contemporary history—before war broke out After that she gave up trying to catch up, and decided to return home and study the European situation from Sydney.

She Saw the Davis Cup.

Watching the Australians capture the Davit* Cup—that is what Mrs. Sidney Baillieux Myer, who is returning to Melbourne in the Monterey, described as the highlight of her trip to America.

Mrs. Myer, accompanied by her children, spent «jx months travelling in America. "It wae most interesting watching the reaction of the children," •he said. "They had such a grand time everywhere, and were bo enthusiastic About everything. Although I did not have as much time a« I might have had without them, it was fun having them with me,"

They all spent Christmas at Sun Valley, Idaho.

"It was a marvellous place," Mrs. Myer said. "Cold was no name for it —10 degrees below zero, but wonderful sun. Wβ skied, and had all the fun imaginable."

In the cities Mrs. Myer had time to visit Red Grose headquarters, work she is especially interested in in Australia. She found that their work embraced a wider field than similar activities cover here and in her own countiy.

"They are always ready for national emergencies—the disasters that come to a big country," she said. "When I left their attention was turned, of course, to the war, and to Finland. Lawrence Tibbett and two other great artists were concerned with a T»ig Christmas week concert—for Finnish relief. I believe it was an enormous success. As for Christmas—l never saw so many Christmas trees in my life. America is a great country," Mrs. Myer concluded, "and I love it more every time I see it. But it is good to be going home. This, time America eeemed just too near the big conflagration which is Europe." Christmas in Broadway. "Christinas and New Year in New York—can you imagine it," asked Mre. Hedda Dyson, who returned from a nine months' trip to America in the Monterey. "We were in Broadway on New Year's Eve and I never heard euch a din in my life. Everyone had been celebrating; everyone who could blow, blew a whistle, hooted a car, sang a song. Every few minutes the siren of an ambulance would drown every other noise, as a victim of the celebrations wae extricated from the crowd. People who were drunk threw themselves under the cars of drivers who were sober, and drivers who were drunk ran over pedestriane who were sober, ae well as those who were not. No one was saie.

"Christmas was just one blaze of lights, Christmas trees, and streamers. Americans love their Christinas.

The friendly and artistic atmosphere of the San Francisco Fair appealed to Mrs. Dyson perhape more than the grandest New York effort. One wae not so impressed with the terrific size of the fair, she found.

"We bought a car to sec ae much of America as we could," Mrs. Dyeon said, "and it was certainly a success. Travelling that way is quite cheap—cheaper than in New Zealand. I think we saw every side of American life, although of necessity it was a fairly superficial glance. We eaw one of the biggest cattle ranches; the Indians of South Wyoming doing sun dances; the brave front of Chicago and the dirty cobble streets that lie behind the magnificent buildings; we went to Salt Lake City, and even bathed in the lake. You have no idea how strange it is to try to swim in water eo salty. You simply cannot e ink."

The terrific rush and bustle of America, Mre. Dyson said, tired you at first, but afterwards you got accustomed to it, and to love the fact that all day and all night there was always something to do, somewhere to go. Throughout the whole land touriete were wonderfully catered for.

Since the war the whole country talked of nothing but, war. Some were all for America going into it, more were for her keeping out of it. But everyone was united in support of Britain's policy.