THE UNITED STATES.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 October 1923, Page 4

THE UNITED STATES.

THROUGH SOUTHERN EYES. THE LAND OF PROHIBITION AND PRESIDENTS. WELLINGTON, Oct. 13. “ft’s a great country!” fervently announced a young Australian journalist, who after several years in the United States was returning home on the Tahiti. “You may say what you like about America and the Americans , i lie fact remains that they do see life over there. The cost of living is high over there; but then you get the service, and labour is high too. It’s strange to vott when vou arrive and

you don’t like their ways ; but once you get used to them you have to appreciate them at their true worth. .MAKING GOOD AMERICANS. “You have to face the fact that for years they have been taking the scun, of many nations and have been transforming them into good Americans. Oh, they’re good Americans all right ; no room for doubt about that. They come there speaking one language and stay to speak another. Yon need have no illusions about them ; they’re turned into honest, good citizens. WHERE HUSTLE RULES. “To arrive in Market street, ’Frisco i- something of a sensation. Ecu' lines of trolley ears ami two of motors each way ; 1 tell you, you have to kcey your eyes skinned. But once y---get used in the noise, the racket and hustle of it all you grow to like it T went pretty far afield, up to Alaska and over to Washington, and wherever I went the name of Australian was a passport to favour. There arc quite a number of our men over there; and I met one New Zealander—l think be had conic from a paper in tin Waikato. THE PREVAILING Tni’K . “Prohibition?—well, it's a dismal failure. I’m not a drinker, but fellows over there told me that they had never known what it was to drink in their lives until the States 'went, dry.' The worst feature of tile Prohibition law is the number of young people who take to drink. A number of young ladies’ seminaries (and leading ones) were challenged by one paper to produce a list of the pupils they lad expelled for drinking and taking dings since the dry days began—and they dared not do it. You’re nowhere at a partv nowadays unless .on have sumo sort of ‘dope’ with you.

A PROSPECTIVE PRESIDENT. “Henry Ford? No, he’ll never bo president. He’s the best advertising man in the States—and be gets it for nothing. This political campaign i* purely an advertising ‘stum.’ He knows plenty of them. No. I don’t think that he will succeed Harding. A Washington man who knows what lie’s talking about laid down the doctrine that it is a sheer impossibility for a man to reach the office unless lie is supported by one of the two big political machines-- Republican or Democrat—and-lie proved it. HARDING’S DEATH.

Harding was a great man. though. A journalist : lie owned a city paper, lie had n most magnetic personality; and was n rare and lineal speaker, infecting all who heard him with his own enthusiasm. .1 remember, after Ids trip to Alaska, we gave him a dinner one day and he spoke to us "it the importance of our work. Every man there simply went. wild. But he is gone. “In the States, at the time when copy finished, or unfinished, must be laid upon the News Editor’s table, you stop in the middle of a sentence, il need lie, and pencil the figure ‘HI 1 ’ at tlic end of the sheet to show that there you stop Ml the pressmen in ’Frisco sent a '3o' in red and while tlowers to Harding's funeral, and the wreath was given the place of honour at the Capitol.”