“ JOHN BULL AT HOME.”

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18627, 24 July 1930, Page 16

“ JOHN BULL AT HOME.”

A GERMAN LOOKS AT ENGLAND. A conscientious and highly interesting effort to explain the Englishman and his home to Germans has been made by Dr. Karl Silex. who was domiciled for several years in London - as correspondent of the “Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung” (writes the Berlin correspondent of the “Observer”). In “John Bull at Home." which makes no pretensions to be other than an interpretation of English life as a foreigner sees it, Dr. Silex has obviously had his typical visitor from Berlin in mind. This is the man who is taken to the famous hotel where all good Germans dine, and finds that the decorations remind him of a thirdrate summer haunt of excursionists round Berlin, who is surprised that his banker sits on a creaky chair in front of a writing table that has seen better days, who is still more astonished to find a well-known publisher's office no more than an ante-room serving many purposes and disgracefully lighted, and who is expected to place his hat wrapped inside his overcoat under his seat in the theatre. The “National Uniform.” If he escapes to the seaside. the band reminds him of the musical efforts of a local fire brigade in his own country. There are other little matters which are done more satisfactorily in Germany, and the result is that Herr Silex believes that if the German had the Englishman's means and opportunities he would do things much better. In the meantime, he has i been trying to understand why the Englishman does as he does.

He has reached the conclusion that nowhere else are human beings so simple in their wants, so unspoilt in regard to the superfluities of life, and he has genuinely tried to seize the real atmosphere of the country.. It falls to his lot to explain to his friend from Berlin the national uniform of grey flannel trousers “without a properly ironed crease down the front,” and the shabby macintosh, and he tries to trace the stark simplicity of soul which causes the Englishman to garb himself thus regardless of the bank account which would permit of more distinction. His English friends and acquaintances have reason to be satisfied of his account of the way in which the education of his children cripples the average British householder—a fact too little understood abroad. Food and Drink. In regard to John Bull’s outings, ! there is a diverting calender of his social year, and his pitiful “night life.” In regard to places in which not to i eat and drink, no better guide book I has been published for a long time for ! either Germans or Englishmen. This very typical German suffers because the Englishman does not like his beer ice-cold, and the refreshments at parties dismay him. But surely nothing he has ever seen in London | has surprised him as much as the ! sight in Berlin, to the average English ! visitor, of a splendidly-dressed Gerj man audience, magnificently provided ; for in the way of cloak rooms and foyers, rushing to dip hot Frankfurt sausages in mustard and eat them in their fingers with every semblance of ravenous hunger between the acts of grand opera. He has in many peregrinations through furnished flats in London come to accept chintz-covered chairs albeit grudgingly, but the practice of England's wives of placing all the comfortable and shabby old pieces of furniture into the husband’s “den” has reminded him painfully, as a man paying exorbitant prices for the privilege of using the said “den.” of the dignified and massive club armchairs and general impressive equipment of the “Gentleman s Room” of every wellregulated German home.

Daring Politicians. In trying to trace the modern development of the English spirit. Herr Silex comes to the conclusion that her adventurers of to-day are not blazing trails abroad, but are seated in the House of Commons. There is a formidable list of daring political spirits enough to make the dull party secret-ary-ridden Reichstag green with envy. But he sees, as so many foreigners claim to see. the German love of organisation creeping in and throttling all spirit of adventure elsewhere. He shows up the paradox that the uniform-loving Englishman and woman—the grey flannel trousers are as nothing compared with school and club colours and sports suits —has hitherto had such a hatred of “professionals" that the unbiased outsider s view of the case is the only one for him. “If the headmaster of Eton announced a lecture on education, nobody would go to hear him. But if he had a plan for changing the conditions of the Grand National Steeplechase. he could fill the Albert Hall three times over.”