THE UNITED STATES

Southland Times, Issue 20012, 28 October 1926, Page 7

THE UNITED STATES

A NEWS LETTER MR COATES ARRIVES WELCOME IN SAN FRANQISCO (From Our Correspondent) San Francisco, October 6. When the Union Steam Ship Company’s Makura tied up in San Francisco Bay early in the morning of October 1, the Premier, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates and his party saw the first rainfall of the season, after several months of fine weather. As the visitors left for Los Angeles the same evening, and the downpour was persistent, the metropolis of the Pacific Coast was viewed under disadvantages. At noon a luncheon was tendered Mr Coates by the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce and the San Francisco Commercial Club. The welcome extended to the honoured guest was unusually cordial. Mr H. Clay Miller, president of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, spoke for the large number of leading business men who crowded the luncheon tables. He referred to the natural interest in trade, but believed good relations with other peoples was all important. Mr Miller said the trade of the United States with New Zealand had increased four fold during the past decade. He praised colonials and heartily greeted the Prime Minister.

Mayor James Rolph, junr., cited the city’s pleasure at having the opportunity of welcoming Maoriland’s first citizen. Humourous references were made by the Mayor to his adventures in the Dominion two and onehalf years ago. His opinion of New Zealanders is decidedly flattering, and he expressed himself as unable to do more than part in return for all the hospitality shown him. United States Senator Samuel M. Shortridge of California graciously supplemented the previous greetings in behalf of the Federal Government. He said that President Calvin Coolidge would want to learn all he could from Premier Coates about the Dominion in the south seas whose name was so familiar to Americans. Mr Coates’ reply was worthy of the occasion, for it was not too long, was varied in character, and had those lighter touches that Americans like to have mixed in with the solids. When the Prime Minister told about leading a company of American soldiers into the front line in France, he paid tribute to their bravery under fire. “We buy three times more from you than you buy from us,” was one of the telling points of the speech, and the statement was made that if the balance was struck, it would give opportunity to improve the shipping facilities between the two lands, especially with the volume of trade increasing year by year.

Mr Coates stressed (1) New Zealand’s death rate, the lowest in the world, (2) the work done by Sir Truby King that had resulted in the phenomenal saving of infant life, (3) New Zealand’s trade per head of population is the highest in the world. He asked for the fullest co-operation between the two countries, glowingly told about the Dominion’s climate, scenery, tourists’ attractions, deep-sea fishing, health resorts, and pledged a hearty welcome for all Americans who visited the country. Mayor Rolph showed Mr Coates the sights of San Francisco during the afternoon, in the best automobile owned by the city. Among the Maorilanders resident in California who welcomed Premier Coates were H. Stephenson Smith, the New Zealand agent; Reginald Back (Wellington), Bruce Lloyd (Auckland, W. B. Maxwell (Welling•ton)j and Will J. French (Auckland). RABBITS AND THEIR SKINS. The last steamer from New Zealand, the Makura brought a sufficient number of frozen rabbits to supply part of the United States for several weeks. There was also on board an equal amount of rabbit skins, which will be turned into hats for men. In the latter connection, the following paragraph in the San Francisco Chronicle of October 1 will not be pleasing reading for those connected with the rabbit industry: "The United States Army is becoming concerned over the distance and unreliability in emergency of rabbit fur. This brand of fur is now used exclusively in making felt hats for the infantry. Regardless of the temporary popularity of the overseas cap during the world war, eye protection makes it desirable that the present campaign hat be kept in service. 'Die Infantry Board at Fort Benning, Georgia, is seeking to relieve future doughboys of any dependence upon the timid rabbit, either by developing a substitute or encouraging local rabbitries.” The average New Zealander is unacquainted with any special need to “raise rabbits.” California newspaper advertisements describe the “big money right now in furs; fifty fur-bearing rabbits will pay £2OO a year profit. 1 * The prospective investor is told the work can be done at night, that the marketing will be attended to, expert supervision is available, and that £2O will start one in the business. The advertisements have been running a long time, so evidently the responses have not been up to expectations. The California “jack rabbit” is taller and uglier than the New Zealand type, and the meat is not as good. Years ago the farmers had “drives” of unusual proportions, and the rabbits do not appear to be as numerous, in comparison, as in New Zealand. “AIMEE” IN THE COURTS. Public interest in the case of Mrs Aimee Semple McPherson is as keen as eveY. Her preliminary trial, now in progress in Los Angeles, is to determine whether she and the others changed with her will be held over for a jury in a superior court. For the first time, newspapers state that "in 1922 Mrs McPherson made a voyage to New Zealand and Australia, where she held many great revival meetings. From this voyage she returned to begin the building of Angelus Temple.” If the statement is correct, and there seems to be no good reason to doubt it, colonials will watch the proceedings with a personal knowledge of the Lady involved. The clouds surrounding her are dark. She is known everywhere in the United States as “Aimee.” One feature of the celebrated evangelist’s case that would not be permitted in most countries is fyer use of the powerful radio service connected with Angelus Temple to comment on the trial as it proceeds. Her utterances concerning the District Attorney of Los Angeles and his assistants are neither sisterly nor brotherly in tone, and the feeling runs so high that it is presumed official action to prohibit the use of the radio for court criticism would be deemed persecution by one side. PERSONAL ITEMS. C. F. Gray and S. A. Brice of Wellington, and Claud W. Burley of Auckland, are visiting San Francisco. E. L. Doheny, an oil magnate known all over the United States, intends to leave his home city of Los Angeles with a party of relatives and friends in his steam yacht the Casiana, a vessel of 1227 tons nett, 254 feet long and 33 feet in beam. She is considered one of the largest and most luxurously fitted yachts afloat. The waters around New Zealand are the objective of Mr Dohen/s m ar time venture. Feodor Chaliapin, the Russian singer who has been touring the colonies, considers the United States “tedious and artistically illiterate,” according to his wife, who has returned to Moscow. She said her husband would not be able to visit Russia before 1927 because he had to fill contracts in “boresome America.” Madame Chaliapin admits that her husband received “a wonderful reception in America,” but, nevertheless, he was disappointed in the country, where, he states, there is “small appreciation of art and the fox trot has more admirers than the opera.” Chaliapin, it is said, owns property in California, and the natives thought he was satisfied with both their devotion to art and their place of residence, Paulrfie Frederick, noted motion picture star, who visited New Zealand last year, is not. going to play “Madame X” in California, as billed. It is announced her health is poor, J»ut inasmuch as she is- now aoing to Lon-

don, and then back to New York, in the same play, the Press notices about her health are considered as so much fiction. George Arliss, famous English actor, is soon to visit California in John Galsworthy’s “Old English.” His leading woman is Irby Marshal, prominent Australian actress. Mr Arliss’ season is being looked forward to with pleasure, for his artistry is well known here. L. L. Green and E. E. Biggs, two of the best-known bankers in California, have sailed from San Francisco for a tour of New Zealand. THE FIGHT OF THE SESQUI. It isn’t often that a world’s exhibition has the advertising that comes before and after a famous prize fight. The Philadelphia Sesqui-Centennial Exposition has had that dubious honour. On the night of September 23 last 125,732 /arsons (including many thousands of women) sat and stood in teeming rain in the stadium to watch Gene Tunney lift the heavyweight crown of the Queensberry realm from the beetling brow of Jack Dempsey. No other event attracted men, women and children like this scientific (?) boxing match. The streets of all the large and small cities in the United States were thronged with people listening to the radio announcements of each movement in the ring. The same condition e.xisted in the clubs, theatres and home of the land reached by radio. While there is only 6 per cent of the world’s population living in the United States, yet the country has more than 80 per cent of all the receiving sets, and 5 times as many broadcasting stations as all the rest of the world combined. The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates the number of receiving sets at approximately 10,000,000, with constant additions. To-day there are 1990 daily newspapers in the United States. TTiey use 3,200,000 tons of paper a year. This paper costs £l3 a ton. Taking photographs, news articles and comment by sports writers, a good fraction of each newspaper was given up for weeks to the Dempsey-Tunney fight. The total receipts for the contest were £379,140, with Dempsey receiving £140,000, Tunney £40,000, Tex Rickard (the promoter) £lOO,OOO, »and healthy apjxirtionments to the Federal Government, the Exposition, and the State of Pennsylvania. The marvellous invention of the telephoto enabled pictures to be sent by wire clear across the country, so that a few minutes after the conclusion of the fight tfie newspaper extras had full details, well illustrated. MRS ANNIE BESANT AND HER VIEWS. San Franciscans have heard one of the best women speakers of the age. Mrs Annie Besant is now 79 years old, but her mentality is untouched, and her white garb appropriate. She brought Jiddu Krishnamurti with her to the Pacific Coast, but the “world leader” kept himself in the background, though he made sundry observations of a not particularly alarming character, such as urging people to live up high in the buildings they occupy, so as to be near the sun. This recommendation isn’t attractive to most folks, for house owners want their lower apartments rented, and the cost is higher the further up one goes, so the family of moderate means finds the advice poor. Mrs Besant’s aux Lienees in San Francisco were unusually large. She believes co-operation is going to solve the labour problem. The tenets of theosophy were presented. She thinks a new type of humans is in the course of development, and she gives to New 7 Zealand, Australia and California the honour of leading in this respect. Mrs Besant is advocating a commonwealth for India, and says that country should be in the same position as New Zealand, Australia or Canada. The lady is pleased at Australia’s action in giving Hindus the political franchise.