AMERICANISATION?

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLV, Issue 12014, 17 March 1920, Page 5

AMERICANISATION?

To the Editor. SIR,—I am writing to enter an emphatic protest against the sentiments expressed in the letter signed by ‘“Facts” in yesterday’s issue. As yonr correspondent hasn’t had the moral courage to sign his name I presume he is half ashamed of the letter and he has every reason to bo, for a more confused jumble of facts and fallacies I have never seen before. What is his complaint? He is protesting against the dangers of Americanisation, but he is confusing things that differ. He assumes that the bad elements of American life are the only elements, and that the good ones which predominate do not count at all. I am quite safe in saying that Americanisation of the right kind is the very thing we do want, and I will go further and say that unless we adopt a good many more of their business methods we will be lost in the race for-.commercial supremacy. I ask yonr readers to use their imaginations and ask themselves this question: “Would the world be any poorer to-day if America had contributed nothing to our modern civilisation?” We all know thennswer. There are many things about America and American life that I don’t like. I don’t like their political corruption, I don’t like thgir materialism; I don’t like their dilatoriness in entering into the war. On the other hand there are many things in American life that I do admire very much indeed. I admire their efficiency. They are the most efficient people on the face of the earth at the present time. They are so efficient that they are willing to go without beer to keep their place in the sun. It was America that brought to perfection the cash register," the linotype, the telephone, the sewing machine. It is America to-dav that is leading the world in business efficiency. Then' I like the directness of the Americans in talking either business or religion. The average Britisher is too slow to catch cold. He has the goods but he never puts them in the window. You need a couple of private detectives and a Royal Commission to find out what he has to sell, but you can’t talk to the average Yankee for ton seconds without finding out what he is after. Then again I like their philanthropic spirit. No doubt the Americans are very keen after the dollars, but you must admit this, that you cannot beat the American for giving them away at the right time for philanthropic and educational work. I think they can show points to the average farmer and prosperous business man of this country who have learned the gospel of grab and no other. We talk about the corruption of some Americans and some parts of that great Continent? Why is it corrupt? The reason is simple. They have been compelled to take in for the past century millions from the dregs of European populations, and thev have not been able to assimilate them quickly enough. The marvel is that they have done so well. Well, what am I driving at? lam driving at this; That in a nation of nearly 100 millions the bad are likely to be very bad, and the good are likely to oe very good. Wo. have had the rotten side of American life for years portrayed on our picture films and printed in our problem novels. Isn’t it about time we had tho other side? It we don’t get it how are we to get a just estimate of our follows and our neighbours? Who is the true representative of civilisation —the rum seller or the missionary? Your correspondent is just the type of man the Chautauqua is up against, the man who gets his nose up against one set of facts and ignores the larger facts behind them. He has mnay followers in this town. It is the stodgiest place for its size in New Zealand. When one goes to these lectures and entertainments he is - disgusted to find that the very people who need them most are not there. I suppose they are at home balancing their books and grubbing after a few more dollars. Here we have brought to our very doors representatives of tho very best elements in American life. Not only that, they are men and women with a message and they know how to deliver it. They bring this right to us, and we can have the lot for tenpence a time. Then people like your correspondent say ‘‘Get out! We don’t want you, and don’t want your message. Marton is good enough for us. Wo were born here and we intend to die here.” Surely a delightful Christian spirit of liberality and broadminedness! Personally I believe in taking truth no matter from what quarter it comes. No nation has a monopoly of Christian ideals. They are the heritage of humanity. Suppose, for the sake of argument, we had adopted the American hustle in connection with our waste water power. We would now have all our rivers linked up, all our machinery would be run by nature, our country would be a blaze of light. Instead of that we live by candle light and grope aliout our street® in Egyptian darkness. I have attended most lectures and entertainments of the Chautauqua, and I can affirm unhesitatingly that it is easily the finest combination of talent that has' ever come to Marton. It remedies one of the great disadvantages of a town of this size. We are cut off from tho educational privileges ©t the larger centres. I would like to assure our visitors that the great bulk of right thinking people deeply appreciate their efforts to amuse us and above all to instruct us. Personally I feel a deep debt ofgratL tudo to those ladies and gentlemen who have had the foresight to sign the bond and get them here. I know also that there are many more people who will make a point of being present at every meeting if we are fortunate enough to 1 have them again.. As for friends like your correspondent, 1 don’t think the finest combination of talent in the world could possibly do him any good, for tho righteous and the intellectually superior need no repentance. There are some others who are not quite so hopeless, I feel sure that if the Chautauqua came here once a year for ten years that at the end of that period they would begin to rub their eyes and find out what they were missing. We are living in a great age. The problems in front of us should bring terror to the stoutest heart. We will need all the light We can get*from every quarter under heaven. If a man comes to, me with a message I don’t care if he comes from Chicago or from Timbuctoo. Let us receive the truth and act upon it. I rhust apologise for occupying so much of.your valuable, space. Let me say in conclusion that I agree

most cordially with all the sentir merits expressed by all the speakers. lam quite prepared if necessary to. discuss in your columns the problems raised till I am choked off by the Editor, and I feel that these subjects would be more fruitful than many that- are . now occupying our attention and absorbing our energies. Thanking you for your courtesy.—l am, etc., L. H. HUNT. The Manse, Mar ton. (Our columns are always open for the discussion of any social problem, or any subject of interest to the public.—Ed.)