U.S. VISITOR

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 203, 28 August 1942, Page 2

U.S. VISITOR

ROVING JOURNALIST

IMPRESSIONS OF DOMINION

New Zealand's wounded soldiers have greatly impressed an American free lance journalist by their fighting spirit and their keenness to ' get back into it again." The journalist is Mr. John J. Allen, a recent visitor, at present in the merchant marine, travelling from one country to another collecting "atmosphere lor his writing. . . Mr. Allen said in an interview that he had received permission from the Government, while on a short stay here, to visit wounded and sick soldiers in hospital. He wanted to gather some of their experiences for a book he intended to write. He found that the men, unlike the returned soldiers of the last war, were eager to talk about their experiences. All he had to do, he said, was listen. At present working as a fireman in the merchant navy, Mr. Allen has had altogether 21 different jobs of various kinds in the last few years. These different experiences, coupled with his travels, have all contributed toward providing the "atmosphere" he seeks. "Great War Effort" In the past year he has been in India. Witnessed the first bombing of Colombo and returned to his home country. He left India, however, before the recent trouble began there. Asked whether he would stay in the United States when he next returned there, he replied, "No, sirree. I'm considering going to Russia next." But, as he philosophically pointed out, war has a habit of not considering one's private desires, so he may not get there. "By the way," he added, "talking about travelling, New Zealanders ought to visit Capetown more after the war. It's near you, and it's a fine place." Mr. Allen considered New Zealand's war effort a great one. "In this country," he said, "I am told that one person out of ten is in uniform, and that means women as well as men. Why, if the same proportion held in the United States, there'd be ten times the number of people in the armed forces. Your people are also more enthused about the war effort than they are back home, but then you have to be, for you're in the front line." People are Friendly The friendliness and hospitality of New Zealand people was another thing that impressed this journalist. Clubs and other entertainments for servicemen he considered specially good. Facilities on these lines were "very adequate" in the United States, he said.

"Your girls and those in ether countries seem to take a pleasure in entertaining the boys and hostessing at dances. But in my country they seem to be so busy with war work they don't bother with looking after the men in the forces." Mr. Allen went on to describe how he went to a dance for servicemen in New York. When he asked a girl to dance, she replied that she was too tired, and he afterwards dis-

Mr. Allen went on to describe how he went to a dance for servicemen in New York. When he asked a girl to dance, she replied that she was too tired, and he afterwards discovered that most of the girls at the dance were married. He thought the case was typical of many of the dances run for the forces in the States.

Mr. Allen is interested in social problems, reforms and politics. He has studied New Zealand's form of government with the help of books and pamphlets which he has obtained here. But he was not, he said one of those people who imagined they knew all about a country after a fortnight's visit.

Of the present Government, Mr. Allen thought "the people should be given more opportunity to know and understand their Government bv means of Press interviews with your Prime Minister. Apparently he doesn t hold such interviews, as for instance, President Roosevelt does."