GETTING TOGETHER.

Colonist, Volume LVIII, Issue 14539, 17 October 1917, Page 2

GETTING TOGETHER.

POINTS FOa miITO.NS. AND

AAiEtfIUAiNS.

LAN HAY'S TOUJI IX THE STATES. Englishmen and Americans talk tho same language—Americans think.we do anyhow—but every Englishman in the United States lias dan\ proof fehat they do nob yeb undorscunu une another. "Jan Hay'" (Cajvums Tail lira- Beith, of the Argyll ami Hi^tihnuors) ;ia,-:. /ixvn ■-,_.,;-. ; ch::g the past six months hi' uGuus u,,u::trv," endeavouring to explain aad 'interpret Britain to Americans. In Luc? course of that highly eouime:idab!e (and necessary) campaign of cdm-atum, iho author of the delightful '-r'!-. :t Hundred Thou-i sand" has discolored t!i.--t England has ' something to learn about Americans too. In "Getting Togc-hor." a little booklet recently puba-:tio-i m tiie United States, Captain :,-.-•'iii has written a most incisive ■..■n<:', i^irwcuvo- compenjdium on iiov r-;-u:-.,>.-> r>.vd Americans lean learn to k:u:-v, ■.-. o .mother hotter. ■it is worth more than all the hands 'across the sea gi'.sh -nd blood is thicker ' ''than water "tcsii" ever uttoreci. it I deals with concreLe realities, eschewing pious abstraction*. Written before the. ; Americans ' der-ido-'i ;o .stake "every-:; ihiug we are, everything we have," for the overthrow :>f i■;• -i; n^ouornism. it was never yo tint--} :: - at this-hour. ! Britons and Amcri; <;•-.: are now suoul-1 der to shoulder m r ..■:; in mutual understanding tho alh::;-ee is still far from cumjilete. Here are cxtra-jts from Captain Beith's comm.'];u;:!'(>!its {.a An»loAmerican ';get'i." •,• -i-ipj-." Let the IiV; : , ; .- : "■'■...,■.. 1. Remember, you arc talking to a! friend. , 2. Remember y.-n are talking to a i man who regjiMi: ; ■.:* ;j..iticn as the greatest nation n: v--.- v. ; -ld. He will probably tell ycu :i ■'■>.. 3. Remembc" .ris w\- l^lkinp- +o a man whose cou-aVv ;;: ;: - mu\e ail enor'mou«co:itribi!t.;.-. ; ■:.-■ ctuso in mon matenal, and iic ,-. b-.ides putting up with a gor.u <\..-, i :■: innonvenionce and irksome ~!?; =-. . ; ,- 01 - r i, an ds.

Remember, too, that your own country has made litt'c or no acknowledgment; of its indebtedness in this matte]1.

4. 'iloinembor you are talking to a man who believes in "publicity," and who believes lurtner that if you do not advertise the fact you cannot possibly be m possession of "the goods." 5. .Remember this man is not so impervious to criticism as you arc. Don't. •over-criticise his apparent attitude to the Avar. Don't ask him -whether he i.s too proud to light, or he may offer you convincing proof to the contrary. (3. Remember you are talking to a. n:an "whose business has been considerably interfered with by the stringency of the Allied 'blockade. -So don't Smt'e him to wax enthusiastic over the vigiance of the Royal Aavy-or the promptness of the censor in putting the mails through. Let the American remember: 1. Remember you are talking to a friend.

2. Remember you are talking to a mau who regards his nation as the. greatest in the world. He will not tell you tiiis, because he takes it for granted that you know already. 3. Remember you are talking to a man who is a member of a traditionally reticent and unexpansive race; who say about one-third of vhac he feels* who is obsasswl by a mania for understating his country's case, exaggerating its weaknesses nnd belittling its eftor.ts; who is secretly shy, so covers up his shyness with a cloak of a"-ores-siveness which is offensive to those who are not prepared for it. 4. Remember you are talking to a man who is lighting for his life. Today hjs face is turned toward Central iLurope, and his back to the United States. Do not expect him to display an intimate or sympathetic understanding of America's true attitude to tho war. He is conducting the war according to jiia lights, and is prepared to abide by the consequences of what he does. So he is apt to be resentful oi: criticism.

S. Enemy propaganda lo the contrary, remember that this man is not a hypocrite. He is occasionally stupid - .he is at times obstinate; he is frequent^ X- high-handed: and often ho Wild rather be misunderstood than explain lint lie is neither tyrannical nor "ori' UI?V -J O, • WC? t into this war becausehe ielt it his duty to do co and not because he coveted any Teutonio vineyard.

6. Remember that your nation hm done a great deal for this man's nation, during the war. Tell him all about it - it will interest him, because he did not u""r'"~" a review by Frederick. William Wile in tho "Daily Mail."