AMERICANISATION.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume X, Issue 139, 27 May 1920, Page 3

AMERICANISATION.

[To the Editor.] Sir. —In reply to “.British Matron.” I have read her second letter most carefully, and ant at a loss to understand it. Her quotation from “The Lady’s Home Journal” is a little unfortunate, if it is intended to prove that American writers disparage England’s part in tho Great War. Does she know that “in the Y’an” means right in front? What greater praise could be given than that—evidently she is thinking of the guard’s van on a train, which is usually in the rear. That the Allies needed America’s help is proved by the fact that YVashington was appealed to by them to hurry up their reinforcements. YVe could have won the War without them, but it was the fact that they responded so quickly that took the heart out of the German hordes, and administered the coup-de-grace to Germany’s dream of world-dominion. I' quite agree that many “pictures” are unsuitable for children to witness, and i would point out that one of the largest | purveyors of this class of picture is an i Englishman, working in America. He : is one of those that purposes producing I in Englana in the near future. But 1 do not think our picture theatres should be run wholly in the interests of the younger generation, who should be catered for at matinees only. I too am a parent, and very seldom allow my child to be present in the evening. In America they have special pictures fori children on certain days in the week, i and 1 would like to see this rule adopted here —but with our relatively I scanty population, it is too much to expect.' As to “sickly literature” —better have none at all than some of the stuff which disgraced the mid-Y’ictorian era, and which was as false to real life as if. could possibly be. After all, Longfellow and Emerson were American writers, and 1 suppose their work would be considered as literature, even at the present day. Can “British Matron” name one American writer whose worn is so decadent as that of Geoige Bernard Shaw? Having nothing much to go upon, “British Matron” drags in Mr. Lloyd George, and harnesses him up with Wood row Wilson, and condemns both England and America as being weighed in -the balance and found wanting. I do not wish to start a political controversy, ano would ask my antagonist to keep to the point a little more closely. She started out to condemn the American Invasion (so-called) as being prejudicial to the youth cf this country. I will go on with the argument on these lines, and try and prove that it won’t »e such a bad thing for New Zealand if happily we take a leaf out of their book, and "push our barrow ” a little harder than we are doing just now. I hope yon c«n find space»for this letter, and that tne correspondence will be ccntinaid by others who aro better qualified to write upon the subject than I may be. It would be a fair thing if “British Matron” would sign her name, and let me know her telephone number--the high cost of living prevents my indulging in such a luxury as a ’phone—that great invention <jf a great American, Thomas A. Edison.—l am, etc , W. F. HICKS. [Edison did not invent tho telephone. Practical experiments were first made hy Philipp Reis, of Freiderichsdorf, Germany, but little progress was made until the subject was taken up between 1874 and ,i™ 6 by Alexander Graham' Bell, a native of Edinburgh, then resident in Boston, Mass, U S.A. Edison certainly contributed very valuable patents to the telephone so our correspondent’s point loses little by this correction of a fairly popular misconception. Ed. H.B.T. ]