FRISCO IMPRESSIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 6 August 1921, Page 1

FRISCO IMPRESSIONS

LOVE OF “OLD GLORY.” SAN FRANCISCO, May 18. To a stranger in San Francisco, riding in motor ears appears to constitute the staple industry of the city. All day long and through a great part of the night motor ears travel in endless procession and for the most part at their own rates of speed, though the streets and particularly through Van Nessavenue, where the big automobile stores and garages are—a wide and somewhat imposing thoroughfare dominated at its upper end by the stately spire of St. Mary’s Cathedral, and at its lower by the high and commanding dome and pinnacle of the Town Hall, a, building of noble lines and massive proportions, standing in the midst of trim lawns and flower beds, and giving an air of magnificence to what is known ns the Civic Centre Just behind the Town Hall stands the fine Public Library built by Mr CnVnejgie. Tt contains a remarkably complete reference collection and an extremely generous lending library, which includes, by the way, a comprehensive series of musical scores. MOTOR-RTHING A DELIGHT.

Tn placet; like Market-street. the chief thoroughfare of San Francisco, (bis motor traffic is regulated by the police. But elsewhere it appears to travel “on its own,” and the man who walks must look out for himself. One Ran Franciscan said to me when T

had been a day in bis country. “Von will soon discover that pedestrians have no right bore.” No dowtb this was nr overstatement of the ease, but none the Tess the motorist seems to hold the balance of power. He has, it must be i said, every inducement to go out in his ear. The streets of Sail Francisco are wonderfully kept. They a’nnved. not with wood, but with a

stantial form of asphalt, which undethe constant polish of motor tyre« Alines like glass. On some of the steer vrados—for this is a city built on U-’ bills cobblestones have been laid down: hut everywhere else is this nsnhaß, with its surface smooth as - mirror. Dost has been banished f'Oir the streets. Everything is • done t-o make motor-riding a delighl. No dog. for instance, can tangle up the nerves of the Chauffeur for a dog is not allowed in the streets unless led bv r chain. There are horses here. T have discovered, for I saw a couple yesterddrawing a waggon-load of merchandise. But such animals make only a furrit.bappearance. The lmrse is principally used by gay riding parties in Golden Gate Bark or at, Ocean Beaeli and by mounted policemen, who look like soldiers in their khaki uniforms. IE business centre of the city, then, i given up to the big. comfortable electric trams which run on four track' in Market-t.reet- automobiles, motor trucks and lorries and above all else noise. ! DFVOTTON TO THF. FT.AG. The intense civic pride of the peonlc iis a great feature of this place, San Francisco they regard as the finest. | city on earth, and they seem to do their best to make it so. Tin's, it ni"A lv agreed, is a worthy characteristic ! in any peonlc. Coming from Australia. ! where this spirit has become so s” 1 ’ ! apathetic, one is inevitably struck bv | the contract. The stranger is impressed also by the passionate devotion of the American people to their fine , Their love for “Old Glory” is an affection real. srißeere. impressive. r| " other day T saw a street procession - a mere trade display, or something o f the kind at the bead of which the Stars and Stripes were carried ; and as the flag came into view every man in that watching crowd, high and low. rich and poor, raised 1 iis hat reverently in salute. Again. the other night 1 listened to a public debate in which one of the speakers who argued the unpopular side, was having a fairly rough passage. ITe in”' l a passing reference in praise of the Stars and Stripes and immediately the scone was changed. The hostile audience disarmed, broke into a storm of cheering. COURTESY OF THE PEOPLE.

Possibly one ought not to express definite opinions about any people when lie has been only three weeks in their country, but I will speak of the Americans as I have found them—and 1 have found them charming. Their frank courtesy and genial good nature have been delightful. One. does not write thus to congratulate men because they are gentlemen, hut because before I set out for this country I was was told that I would find them far different. There is a regrettable impression—apparently based upon contact with some men of a typo to he found in every country under the sun that the American is loudvoiced and arrogant. .My experience, brief though it is, is that he is neither. Walking in the street yesterday 1 was jostled accidentally by a lad who was playing with another. He immediately turned and asked my pardon. 1 have in other communities been jostled by men ;iiul bovs, who have then stared at nu‘ as if I had been detected trying to pick their pockets. It would he absurd, of course, to draw a vast deduction I'roiti any incident of this kind; hut there it is. In the shop, ill the mart, there is, instead of that casual independence to he found in other places 1 could name, a ready courtesy allied to a keen business spirit. It is, moreover, a pleasure to do business with a man who knows his mind, and is able to act promptly. NO HOME Id EE. 11l t-liis city, with its genial climate and its beautiful surroundings, life out of doors has many attractions. But the people live mainly in apartment houses, and eat in eafetarias. The effect of all this upon home life may he imagined. There is, in fact, no home life at all for the great majority. The cafelaria is a novelty typically Aineriv at walk in and select your own

food, hot or cold, from the array spread before you; then, before you eat, you take the tray to a girl at a desk who is a marvel as a ready-reckoner. She casts a glance at it, and in a flash makes up the total amount upon a docket which she hands to you. This shows the sum you are to pay as you go otit. All day practically there is a procession of food passing that desk, and yet this girl never hesitates; she reckons up the amount by.a mere glance at your tray, OF THE PICTURE. It may he that, attracted by the novelty of tilings, one sees only the better side of American life at first. For there is in this country, too, much that is deplorable. Theatres, and picture shows are open on Sunday; many of the shops do business that day ; the average of crime seems as high as in all big communities; and the slackening of moral character is convincingly shown also in figures just published by the International Reform Bureau, which reveal that thirty-two American States — ranging from Vermont, with its 153 divorces to every 100,000 of population, to Nevada, with 652—have a divorce rate higher than that of Japan. America. in fact, is leading the world in divorce.