WELCOMING THE AMERICANS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19101, 20 August 1925, Page 7

WELCOMING THE AMERICANS.

Sir, —It's easy to see that the people of Auckland have found our American cousins real good fellows. May I suggest as a final something that they will not forget to make Sunday next an "At Home " day for as many of them as we possibly can so that in the years to come they may look back with pleasant memories to the days they spent with us in Auckland. S.R.B. Sir,—A good deal of criticism has been directed, against New Zealanders for standoffishness in their relations with the men at present visiting our country from the United States. A chance remark overheard recently may throw some light oh the matter. An Aucklander said the ' men are not much like Americans, they are more like British," and it was found that her opinions of the former were based on the screeu portrayals of American men and manners. A chaplain of the fleet is reported to have differentiated between " the stage American," and the men he knows, and New Zealanders (a largo percentage of whom know Americans only through the " movies,") are learning that the men of the fleet are neither saints nor sinners of stage-land, but just a. part of one big human family, with (ikes and dislikes very similar to our own. American pictures have, however, fostered the idea that they are of a different type, and erroneous ideas need time for being supplanted by right ones, F.M.B. Sir, —The letters appearing on this subject are both unwise and unjust. With one or two deplorable exceptions the citizens of this country have been deeply interested in the visit of the fleet, and have everywhere given both officers and men a most hospitable and kindly reception. We do not cheer anybody excep they happen to be footballers. Thousands of us have gone out of our way to showattention to the men and we and thev have been getting on famously together. If Mr. Schlcgel will have the patience to read the letters and despatches which Mr. Walter Page, the American Ambassador to Great Britain, sent to PresidentWilson, as also the correspondence of Colonel House, the President's confidential adviser, and notes the indignant disgust of both these great men at the attitude taken up by the American Government, and maintained for two years, ho will be ready to give us two rainy days to pull ourselves together, and to show that we are now* ready to forgive and forget. It will restrain all unfortunate criticism if writers will bear in mind that practically every family in New Zealand gave of their brightest and best to withstand the bestiality and the brutality of the Germans. Padbe. Sir, —With reference to any lack of hospitality to American sailors, those whose doors have been closed to them have missed a verv real treat. Their entertainment is such a simple matter, and they are as dear lads as ever stepped into New Zealand—genuine, manly fellows. At first we had a fear of addressing them as we were a houseful of middle-aged women, and had no man of the house to bring them in. We felt also as we were not modern dancers or gay folk they would find us slow, and that entertainment would be difficult. But every day they come, in all their brightness, trimness and wholesomeness. They love to sit round the fi:ro and play with the children and chat. Sometimes we suggest they might prefer a "dance" or "show" elsewhere, but no, they just plead to stay "home." And what* touches us most is their love of home. One will tell of his baby brother's thumb that "momma tied up" to keep him from suck-, xng, another speaks of nis future when he goes home to daddy in business; another of his grandmother's open fire and the logs burning. Their pride in their home people is beautiful, and we are convinced homo life in the United States of America must be very real to turn them out so straight and fine. We will miss them when they go, and those Who have not yet given them the clasp of friendship have missed a happy memory. It is not yet too late. There must be hundreds who long for a touch of home, and there must be hundreds who could give it. Read this extract from a letter from one of our visitors received to-day: "You folks are the first who have ever spoken to me in Auckland, and it was more like a God-send than anything and erased that feeling of loneliness." Think what hospitality meant for our boys in the Great War? These are all some mother's boys, and very far from home. Cameeudo.