MANNERLESS MILLIONS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10479, 15 October 1912, Page 6

MANNERLESS MILLIONS.

MORE POLITENESS WANTED. A league for the propagation of politeness and courtesy has just been founded in Paris, under the presidency of of Mme. Andree d’Albert, who represented the women of France at the last Peace Congress at The Hague. The object of the league is to conduct a crusade against rudeness and vulgarity in every form, and to re-establish that reign of courtesy and true gallantry for which France was so long renewed, but which, alas! has so nearly disappeared under the pressure of twentieth century conditions of life.

“In default of real benevolence and self-abnegation, which are today the characteristics of only a privileged few, we want,” said Mme. Andree d’Albert in an interview, ‘‘to induce people to be at least polite and courteous towards one another, instead of rudely manifesting unnecessary hostility on every possible occasion. ‘‘For instance, when a little boy in a crowded carriage rises to offer his seat to a lady, we do not want his mother to say—as many mothers do at present—‘Sit down, you have paid for your seat.’ A little boy, however good his natural disposition, brought up with these ideas, would never grow up courteous and gallant, as Frenchmen were formerly ; and' if his natural instints are bad such a method of education w’ill develop them. It is to the failure of parents to teach their children consideration for others that we must largely ascribe the rise of the ‘apache,’ and the exploits of such scoundrels as the motor bandits who recently terrorised the whole country. Small causes have great effects, “Politeness costs nothing, and yet it will do much to remove the sharp angles of life. ” University professors, school teachers,,students, and even Paris cabdrivers, are among the thousands who have already joined the league, and its membership is increasing daily. Apropos of the above, the Evening Standard says: —Mr Jerome K. Jerome, in one of these passages which we remember more vividly than the poems onf Swinburne or the novels of Lytton, relates how his heroes, primed with a manual of etiquette, approached a hansom cab, and, raising their hats, said affably; “Good morning, coachman.” The coachman, calling to a friend to mind the steed, sprang lightly from the box, placed his hand upon his heart, and, bowing low, asked how he could serve them. By this time there were signs of collecting. and so George and Harris dropped into their vulgar ordinary manner and entered the cab without more ado. We are reminded of their experience by an account of the efforts of Madame Andree d’Albert, who has founded a “Ligue pouf la Courtoisie” in Paris. She has enlisted the sympathy of university professors, of academicians, of the students in the Latin quarter, _ of distinguished society people, and’has found support even among the plebeian masses, meeting with the approval of cabbies and chauffeurs. While the “even” seems to us un pen snob, we cannot withhold our admiration of the gallant lady’s campaign. There is always room for manners, even in the politest community known to man. And that brings us to an interesting question. Are Frenchmen more polite than other people? An English lady, to whom this question was once put, answered: The Frenchman is the politest man x meet, but I have a feeling that, every Sundny after lunch, when he is alone with his wife in the drawingroom, lie takes off his boots and has a nap.” Whether the lady objected to the imaginary nap or to the imaginary removal of the boots, nobody buUa Bourget can say. But her opinion of the Frenchman is only the opinion of the ordinary English woman, racily expressed. Is this opinion correct? The idea is prevalent in England that Frenchmen are very polite and insincere. We suggest that they are, just as often, very rude and very honest. Frenchmen are often so candid in their expression of those opinions, that the Englishman, who is not accustomed to saying what he thinks, is made to start pretty frequently when first he enters French society. This candour is not merely delightful : it is also the only true polite- I ness, and the mere “good manners” of the Englishman seem meretric- i ious and almost insulting in com- j narisou. We hope Madame d’Albert j will not check her fellow-country-men’s outspokenness, which has in it far more true politeness than the lazy suavity of the Englishman who | is trained from boyhood in the dead- J ening habit of saying the easiest ! thing. '