AMERICA TO-DAY

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 230, 28 August 1929, Page 7

AMERICA TO-DAY

SOME FLEETING GLIMPSES.

SWIFTLY FLOWING COMML NIT Y. CANADA AND TRADE. Although stating that the general life of the community in America was a course ot swiftly flowing events, Mr G- D. Pat-tie, who has just returned to Palmerston North from a visit to Canada and the United States, informed a ‘‘Standard” representative to-day that be thought impressions of the hectic rush had been overboomed to a certain extent. In recording fleeting glimpses which he had obtained while abroad, he discounted some of the distorted visions of America. He stated, however, that both Canada and the United States were prosperous to the highest degree and in everything strove to keep abreast of the tide in the best standards of production. He did not give his views as authoritative opinions, but merely as passing impressions during a visit of two months’ duration. Describing Vancouver as a very pretty city, Mr Pa-ttle stated that it had been pleasing to note the Dominion spirit which was evident in Canada, and in his opinion the people were lar more strongly pro-British than pro-American, there being a fair amount of antagonism to the United States on account of the irksome tariff barriers which had been raised. Apparently there, was a manifest desire in Canada for a reciprocal trading policy with the sister Dominions. It had been refreshing to observe that at the “time of his visit'there was a large consignment of New Zealand apples on the market at Toronto, and that they had arrived in good condition, selling readily. New Zealand butter seemed to be well-known in the Western States of Canada.

Nestling in typical Canadian Rookie country, and surrounded by rugged mountains sparsely clad with coniferous trees, Banff was one of the beautiful sigli-ts for travellers. That resort, had, like other centres in Canada, developed the tourist traffic to a high state of efficiency. Possibly because of the absence of restrictions on liquor, the thirsty population of the United States, crossed the border into Canada frequently, and many visitors from Seattle went to Vancouver, while Canadian territoi— provided favourite centres for Pacific Coast conventions. There was a tremendous American tourist traffic, and on July 4 last it was estimated that there were 30,000 American cars in Toronto alone. IMPRESSED .WITH CHICAGO.

Despite lurid descriptions of its criminal world, Mr Pa tile considered that Chicago was more attractive in appearance than any other city in either America or Canada. The civic enterprise in the city on the shores of Lake Michigan was remarkable, and the system of parks and boulevards leautitul and unique. Efforts were being made to dress Chicago in its Sunday best in view of the approaching world exhibition to be held there. The volume of traffic was positively terrific at certain times of the day, and the street signs which sufficed for the slacker hours were useless for the busier periods, in which two or three traffic officers might be seen on duty at the one intersection. Even then, with their vigilance, traffic jambs often occurred which held up tire flow of vehicles for several blocks.

Grime-stained Chicago was more in the nature of a so far as the actual scale of operations was concerned, and it was the undue prominence given to startling events by the yellow press which had. blazoned abroad Cli> oago’s reputation in a splash of crimson. ' It had to be remembered that the city had twice the population of New Zealand, and the impression given of the criminal clement seemed to be out of all proportion to the true conditions in that cosmopolitan area. There were some exceptionally fine buildings, and the largest in the world was in course of erection. The Style of architecture was striking in design, with its receding effect as tall buildings mounted steadily until they oven dwarfed other skyscrapers and finished almost in pinnacle. Regarded as the rubber centre of the world, Akron, which Air Rattle visited after leaving Chicago, was the hub of a great manufacturing industry, and apparently the makers deserved the position which they occupied for they were constantly engaged in research work to improve their methods 'and produce a product of the highest possible quality consistent with the ruling price. Known as the exhibition city, Toronto was a very fine place, arid was the largest industrial centre in Canada, many American concerns having established branches there. Progressive to a wonderfully advanced degree, it was reputed to possess the largest hotel n the world. Montreal, the bosom of the French-Gana-dian colony, had a quite different atmosphere, but in every respect it was a highly commendable city. There was considerable commercial activity and the suburn of Alount Royal was covered with beautiful homes. Returning to the United States, Boston was rather less cosmopolitan than Chicago or New York, but nevertheless' there was a considerable foreign element. It was the centre for numerous industries, being m tne heart of a large manufacturing district. However, even in America, the people seemed *o be anticipating an approaching period of industrial stress, owing to ever-hardening European competition. A ZIONIST CITY.

With a transplanted population which appeared to be mainly Zionist in origin. New York was a honeycomb of skvserapers, .among which moved its teeming millions, but Air Pattle said that he was not favourably impressed with its bitumen-surfaced streets which were all rather di y and smelly.' There were palatial homes in the better residential areas, and in the business centre of the city there seemed to be an endless day. Brilliant lights banished theer.veloping blackness of night, and after dark the streets were a glittering spectacle, still pulsating with a flowing stream of life and activity which poured forth Ce Havfng y 'the experience of becoming lost in the underground system at New York, Air Pattle found himself not at Brooklvn as intended, but at the far-famed' Coney Island and on a day when it was estimated that there were about 500.000 people on the beach. He assured the Standard reporter that there were no v spits in the water, and the people flocked to the resort like flies. 1 was not an exceedingly and was not patronised by class, the place being full of unpiea san* odours aDd tire beach with paper. There was a large foreign element who practised thou sands of ways of extracting money from the people, and whose P rl P c yi®* pastime seemed to be to “V”L n There methods of attraction each 7* ter . was every conceivable iorm o rc _ tainment. Actually more P P y or k sided in Brooklyn than »» New Yo itself. Fifth Avenue was the tasn ionable street and had some

tionally high class shops, but there were other kinds to be seen in different quarters. The skyline was constantly changing with the ,-e markable building activity. PICTURESQUE LOS AN'JELteS. Just, as picturesque as described was Los Angeles, where the surrounding country was dry „nci burnt, ithe productive lands being irrigated. There was evidently an abundant supply of water, for under the arid conditions even the trees in the streets had to be keep green with constant moistening. There was a considerable amount of flying done at Los Angeles, and the aviation fields were well appointed. Speaking of the film colony, Mr Pattle mentioned that no one was permitted to approach the talkie studios on account of the danger of interference with the process. There was no such thing, in his opinion, stated Air Pattle, as the bustling Yankee who was held to be the personification of “hurry,” although he conceded, that a rapid pace was maintained in industrial factories, v/here piecework and team work were the great systems in force, and under the strain busy workmen perspired freely, having barely time to look round. From the factory point of view the labour principle employed was eminently successful, but few old men were noticed in the factories, and possibly the activities were too rigorous for them, throwing them out of employment in middle age, There were no • indications of unionism, and no visible signs, of unemployment, although it existed.